JP3587098B2 - Electric wheelchair operation device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to an operating device for an electric wheelchair. Specifically, the present invention relates to an operating device that controls the running of an electric wheelchair only by bending and stretching the joint.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 6 shows an example of an electric four-wheeled vehicle as a conventional electric wheelchair, and most of them have a joystick and its operation box attached to one arm portion (here, the left side) of the armrest.
[0003]
The joystick and its operation box are provided with a joystick knob 11 that moves freely from side to side and back and forth via a ball joint. By tilting the joystick knob 11 in a desired direction, It is common to be able to make a right / left turn.
[0004]
The joystick knob 11 is designed so that the spring force of the return spring acts to automatically return to the neutral state. However, some people who use an electric wheelchair are like patients with athetoid cerebral palsy. Involuntary movements (limbs, necks, etc. move unintentionally even though they do not intend to move), or voluntary movements (involuntary movements due to high muscle tension, such as patients with spastic cerebral palsy) Joystick operation or operation of the joystick knob 11 against the elastic force of the return spring as expected, such as in patients with muscular dystrophy. Some people are unable to do so, and such people are unable to get on the electric wheelchairs freely and are forced into a life of inconvenience.
[0005]
Also, recently, it is said to be an input type, which can be operated by attaching a panel-like travel operation device around one arm part of the armrest and touching or releasing the direction position, or breathing・ Electric wheelchairs that can be operated by voice, blinking, etc. have been devised, but there is no problem when they go straight or keep the same driving state, but it takes some time to change direction such as turning left and right At the same time, since a computer or the like is built in and used, the electric wheelchair itself is expensive, but there is a risk that it will become even more expensive.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been invented in view of the foregoing points, and the problem to be solved is that involuntary movements are observed as in patients with athetoid cerebral palsy, or muscles are high as in patients with spastic cerebral palsy. Tension inhibits voluntary movements, and, as in patients with muscular dystrophy, the fingers are extremely weak. For example, the joystick operation or the knob operation against the spring force of the return spring is sufficient. An object of the present invention is to provide an operating device for an electric wheelchair that can be operated even by a person who cannot perform it if there is a range of motion of the joint that the human body can arbitrarily move.
[0007]
In addition, the electric wheelchair that can be operated by standard joystick operation is solved by eliminating the time problem when changing the direction of the electric wheelchair that can be operated by one input type, for example, breathing, voice, blinking, etc. It is an object of the present invention to provide an operating device for an electric wheelchair that can be manufactured at low cost without being greatly different from the traveling time of the vehicle, and without incorporating a computer or the like, and thus without becoming large.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Therefore, in order to achieve the above object, the operating device for an electric wheelchair according to the present invention is as follows. It is an electric wheelchair with a conventional joystick operation that has a storage battery and an electric motor, and is propelled by the driving force of the electric motor, and was newly invented in the part from the control box from which the joystick was removed to the main controller. .
[0009]
The inner wall portion in the controller 50 for operating the electric wheelchair has a curve, and is connected to the timer 51 outside the controller 50 on the curve of the inner wall portion in the controller 50, A power switch 4 for opening / closing a ratchet relay 52 to be connected and opening / closing a power source, a temporary stop switch 1, a temporary stop switch 7a, 7b, a reverse switch 6a, 6b, a minimum radius left turn switch 2, There is provided a minimum radius right-turn switch 3, a mandrel O at the center, forward variable resistors 8 a and 8 b are connected to both ends of the mandrel O, and a forward / reverse changeover switch 5 that is operated by the operation of the mandrel; The shift lever J with which the mandrel is interlocked and an operation assisting / combining wire holder K are provided. The ear M is fixed and passes through the inside of the operation assisting / combining wire holder K and extends to the outside of the controller. At the same time, the operation ring L is attached to the tip of the operation wire extending to the outside of the controller 50. This is solved by providing an operating device for an electric wheelchair provided with reverse variable resistors 9a and 9b at appropriate positions.
[0010]
Therefore, according to the present invention, the inner wall portion in the control is curved, and the switches are arranged on the curved inner wall portion. Therefore, when the electric wheelchair is arbitrarily driven, the shift lever reciprocates. It is possible to perform only by movement, and the operation is the operation that the operation wire at the other end of the operation wire fixed and connected to the shift lever that operates each switch and the operation wire goes inside This is an electric wheelchair operating device that enables the operation of the electric wheelchair by the operation of the auxiliary wire holder, that is, the joint part of the body through the operation ring.
[0011]
The reverse switch 6a and 6b, the temporary stop switch 7a and 7b, the forward variable resistor 8a and 8b, and the reverse variable resistor 9a and 9b in the controller 50 are respectively paired with the left and right wheels. By preparing for, the left and right driving wheels can be individually operated.
[0012]
Then, by pulling the ring L at the distal end portion of the operation wire to a desired traveling operation position, the operation assisting / combining wire holder K interlocking with the operation wire M and the shift lever J are moved along the curved surface. By moving to the desired travel operation position while drawing a circle, the switch O which is necessary for travel is touched and actuated, and the mandrel O linked to the shift lever J is moved to move forward variable resistors 8a and 8b. Alternatively, the reverse variable resistors 9a and 9b are operated, and the forward / backward changeover switch is operated by the operation of the mandrel O. On the contrary, the operation ring L and the operation assisting wire holder K are used. By pushing back to the desired travel operation position, the shift lever J returns and moves to the desired travel operation position. In addition, the mandrel O is interlocked with the shift lever J, the forward variable resistors 8a and 8b are operated, and the reverse variable resistors 9a and 9b are operated. It is an electric wheelchair in which the changeover switch operates and travels.
[0013]
Therefore, in the present invention, it is possible to attach an operation ring to an optional joint and pull an operation wire fixedly connected to a shift lever or push an operation wire using an operation assisting / holding wire holder. Because it does not use springs or other forces, the force required for operation is only when pulling or pushing to the desired travel operating position. As long as the change is made, it is an electric wheelchair operating device that enables operation of the electric wheelchair without requiring any force.
[0014]
In addition, three lead wires {circle around (1)}, {circle around (2)}, {circle around (3)} wired to the forward variable resistor 8a and the reverse variable resistor 9a, the forward variable resistor 8b, and the reverse variable resistor Among the three conductors (4), (5) and (6) wired to 9b, the minimum radius left turn switch 2 is provided on the lead (3), and the minimum radius right turn switch 3 is provided on the lead (4). In general, because the variable resistance is in the same resistance on the left and right, it moves straight or backward, and the rotating speed of the driving wheel with the resistance decreases and turns. When it is in the middle part between the switch 2 for the minimum radius left turn and the switch 3 for the minimum radius right turn, since the left and right are in the same resistance, it is a straight area, and the left part is the left turn area due to the difference in the left and right resistance, The right-hand part is the right-turn area and the minimum radius left-turn switch When the switch 2 is switched on by the shift lever J, the current flow of the conductor (3) is cut off, the driving wheel stops and a left turn can be made at an acute angle. Similarly, the switch for the minimum radius right turn is switched on by the shift lever J. The electric wheelchair operating device enables the operation of the electric wheelchair so that the current flow of the lead wire (4) is cut off and the driving wheel stops and can turn right at an acute angle.
[0015]
Also, an assistant switch 55 is provided on the conductor wired from the standard circuit 54 in the control box, the conductor is extended in series from the switch, connected to the shift lever J, and fixed to the shift lever J. The operation wire M itself has the role of a conductor, and the operation wire M goes around the operation ring L to connect the conductor, and a belt safety device is provided on the extension of the conductor, and the ratchet By forming it so that it passes through the relay 52 and is wired to the standard circuit 54 in the control box, the electric wheelchair runs away even if the wire is cut during driving or the belt that fixes the controller is removed. In order to prevent this, the electric wheelchair operating device secures a safety aspect at the time of traveling operation of the electric wheelchair.
[0016]
[Action]
According to the present invention, involuntary movement is observed as in an athetoid cerebral palsy patient, voluntary movement is inhibited by high muscle tension as in a patient with spastic cerebral palsy, or as in a muscular dystrophy patient. In addition, even if you cannot operate the joystick or the knobs against the spring force of the return spring, you can move the human body voluntarily. Can be operated easily, and if the wire is cut for safety reasons, the current flow stops and the electric wheelchair stops automatically.If the joint becomes stiff due to tension, the power switch is Because the electric wheelchair stops and the motorized wheelchair stops, it is possible to travel with peace of mind, and it is necessary to use a standard joystick-operated electric wheelchair to change direction when turning right or left. To allow time and not much different from that, besides, since it does not incorporate a such as a computer, without requiring a large-scale structure, but which can be manufactured inexpensively.
[0017]
【Example】
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description, a joint that can be arbitrarily moved is described as a little finger.
[0018]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the controller section viewed from the left side, and FIG. 2 is an operation ring connected to the left and right variable resistors at the center of FIG. It is the schematic diagram which looked at the part from the upper part. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the bending and stretching of the little finger, the position of the shift lever inside the controller, and the state of the wheelchair associated therewith, and FIG. 5 shows the electric motor according to the present invention. It is a reference perspective view showing an electric wheelchair using a wheelchair operating device.
[0019]
FIG. 6 shows a conventional electric wheelchair using a joystick. In this case, a joystick knob 11 that moves freely left and right and back and forth is erected on one arm portion (left side in this case) of the armrest. By tilting the joystick knob 11 in a desired direction, the electric wheelchair can be moved forward / backward or left / right, but the electric wheelchair operating device of the present invention can be attached to an arm or the like as shown in FIG. The operation joystick knob 11 or the like is not erected, the controller 50 is at the tip of the fingertip portion, and is fixed by a belt at the wrist. (As mentioned above, the part that moves arbitrarily is the little finger.)
[0020]
An operation wire M extends from the controller 50 having a curved inner wall portion around the tip of the fingertip portion, passes through the inside of the operation assisting / combining wire holder K, and via an arbitrarily moving little finger and an operation ring L. The other end of the operation wire M is fixed to the shift lever J inside the controller 50, and the shift lever J is operated by the bending / extending movement of the little finger joint and the operation assisting / combining wire holder K. However, it moves like drawing a circle in a circle. At that time, a mandrel O in the center of the controller that is linked to the shift lever J, and a variable resistor 8a for left advance and a variable resistor 8b for right advance are connected to both ends of the mandrel. The forward / backward changeover switch 5 is provided, and the reverse movement variable resistors 9a and 9b are provided at appropriate positions inside the controller 50, and the movement of the bending and stretching of the little finger joint and the movement of the operation assisting / combining wire holder K are also provided. The operation wire M is operated, and the shift lever J is reciprocated in conjunction with the operation wire M so that it is connected to a timer 51 outside the controller 50 provided for operating the electric wheelchair inside the controller 50. , A power switch 4 for opening and closing a ratchet relay 52 connected to the timer 51 to open and close a power source, and a pause switch 1 Different from the temporary stop switch, the left moving wheel temporary stop switch 7a, the right moving wheel temporary stop switch 7b, the left reverse switch 6a, the right reverse switch 6b, the minimum radius left turn switch 2, and the minimum radius right turn switch 3 are operated and propelled. To do.
[0021]
In FIG. 3, three lead wires {circle around (1)}, {circle around (2)}, {circle around (3)} wired to the forward variable resistor 8a and the reverse variable resistor 9a, and the forward variable resistor 8b, Among the three conductors (4), (5) and (6) wired to the variable resistor 9b, the minimum radius left-turn switch 2 is connected to the conductor (3), and the minimum radius right-turn switch is connected to the conductor (4). 3 and by operating the switch 2 for the minimum radius left turn by the movement of the shift lever J, the current flow of the conductor (3) is cut off, the left driving wheel stops, and a left turn at an acute angle can be made. Similarly, by operating the minimum radius right turn switch 3 by the movement of the shift lever J, the current flow of the conductor (4) is cut off, and the right driving wheel is stopped and the right turn can be made at an acute angle.
[0022]
The switch 4 for the patient himself to start or stop the wheelchair from above the wheelchair is connected to a timer 51 outside the controller 50, and opens and closes a ratchet relay 52 connected to the timer 51 to open and close the power source. In this case, the timer 51 can be set to 0 to 10 seconds when the switch 4 is operated by the shift lever J. In addition, it is possible to prevent malfunction during operation, etc., and an assistant switch 55 is provided on the conductor wired from the standard circuit 54 in the control box, and the conductor is extended in series from the switch, Connecting to the shift lever J, the operation wire M secured to the shift lever J itself has the role of a conductor, The wire M is connected around the operation ring L to connect the conducting wire. This portion becomes the wire safety device 58, and the belt safety device is provided on the extension of the conducting wire, and is connected to the ratchet relay 52. By forming it so as to be wired to the control box standard circuit 54 through it, the electric wheelchair will runaway even if the wire is cut during running or the belt that fixes the controller is removed Therefore, it is possible to ensure the safety aspect when the electric wheelchair is operated.
[0023]
In the electric wheelchair of the present invention, the relationship between the joint that can move freely (as described above, the portion that moves arbitrarily as a little finger) and the drive is described with reference to FIGS.
[0024]
To turn the power on and turn off H, bend the little lever of the shift lever J to the position of the power switch 4 (At this time, the shift lever J touches the left and right reverse switches 6a and 6b and the left and right reverse switches 7a and 7b as well. If the little finger is bent for any number of seconds set by the timer, the power is turned on, and when moving forward, move the little finger, that is, move the little finger and turn the shift lever J into the pause switch 1. (At this time, the shift lever J touches the minimum radius left turn switch), and the forward / reverse selector switch 5 operates at the same time to move forward, and then the desired position of left turn B, straight forward C, right turn D, that is, the little finger Move and move the shift lever J forward between the minimum radius left turn switch 2 and the minimum radius right turn switch according to the direction in which the wheelchair moves. Also, when going backward, go to the temporary stop G, that is, move the little finger to move the shift lever J to the temporary stop switches 7a and 7b (at this time, the reverse switch 6a and 6b also touch the shift lever J). By moving it, the forward / reverse selector switch 5 operates at the same time to enable backward movement, and then the wheelchair is propelled backward only during backward F, that is, while the little finger is moved and the shift lever J is touching the reverse switches 6a and 6b. It is.
[0025]
In the case of returning from reverse to forward, moving to the temporary stop A, that is, moving the little finger and moving the shift lever J to the temporary stop switch 1 causes the forward / reverse selector switch 5 to operate and move forward at the same time. It is the same. In the temporary stops E1 and E2, the shift lever J is between the minimum radius right turn switch 3, the power switch 4, the reverse switches 6a and 6b, and the temporary switches 7a and 7b, and is in a state where no switch is touched. Sometimes, the temporary stop E1 is when the electric wheelchair is moving or passing from the position where the electric wheelchair is moving forward, and the temporary stop E2 is when the electric wheelchair is moving backward from the position where the electric wheelchair is moving backward. Indicates the case of moving or passing through.
As described above, the joint that can move freely (as described above, the part that moves arbitrarily is the little finger) and the driving relationship, the patient first rides on the electric wheelchair and can move arbitrarily first, here the little finger The operation ring L is attached to the patient, the assistant turns on the assistant switches 55 and 57, the patient pulls the operation wire M through the operation ring L by bending the little finger, and the shift lever J is turned on. (The shift lever J is also touching the left and right reverse switches 6a and 6b and the left and right pause switches 7a and 7b at this time), and the power is turned on by bending the little finger for an arbitrary time. When moving forward, the shift lever J is moved to the position of the temporary stop switch 1 to extend the little finger and push up the operation assisting / combining wire holder K. (At this time, the shift lever J touches the minimum radius left turn switch), and at the same time, the forward / reverse selector switch 5 operates to move forward, and the little finger is bent to move the shift lever J from the minimum radius left turn switch 2. The wheelchair is moved in the desired direction by moving the wheelchair to the desired direction between the minimum radius right turn switches. When moving backward, the little finger is bent and the shift lever J is moved to the temporary stop switches 7a and 7b ( At this time, by moving the reverse switch 6a, 6b to the shift lever J), the forward / reverse selector switch 5 operates at the same time so that the reverse movement is possible. The shift lever J, which is linked to it, is moved to the position of the reverse switch 6a, 6b and the Child is what moves backward. When the power is turned off, the little finger is bent and the shift lever J is moved to the position of the power switch 4 (at this time, the left and right reverse switches 6a and 6b and the left and right temporary stop switches 7a and 7b are also shifted). J touches), and the power is turned off by keeping the little finger bent for an arbitrary time.
[0027]
Each switch provided inside the controller 50 and turned ON / OFF by the shift lever J is preferably a micro switch, and the reverse switches 6a and 6b and the left and right pause switches 7a and 7b are almost in the same row when viewed from the side. If the shift lever J has moved from the minimum radius right turn switch, touch the reverse switches 6a and 6b, the left and right pause switches 7a and 7b, and the power switch 4 in this order. It is provided.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention configured as described above, involuntary movements are seen like athetoid cerebral palsy patients, or voluntary movements are inhibited by high muscle tension like patients with spastic cerebral palsy. Also, even for people who cannot perform joystick operation or the joystick knob operation against the elastic force of the return spring as expected, such as patients with muscular dystrophy, their fingers are extremely weak. If there is a joint range of motion that can be moved arbitrarily, it can be operated easily, and even in terms of safety, when the wire is cut, the flow of current stops and the electric wheelchair stops automatically, and when the joint stiffens due to tension, Since the power switch is turned off and the electric wheelchair stops due to the rigidity, you can drive with peace of mind, and you can change direction when turning right or left. To allow no time much different required electric wheelchair joystick, besides, since it does not incorporate a such as a computer, without requiring a large-scale structure, but which can be manufactured inexpensively.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a controller unit of an electric wheelchair operating device according to the present invention as seen from the left side.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view seen from above showing an operation ring connected to the left and right variable resistors in the center of FIG. 1 by an operation wire, and an operation auxiliary and wire holder part;
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing an electric wheelchair operating device according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the bending and extension of the little finger, the position of the shift lever inside the control, and the state of the wheelchair associated therewith during the operation operation in the electric wheelchair operating device according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a reference perspective view showing an electric wheelchair using the electric wheelchair operating device according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an electric wheelchair using a conventional joystick that does not use the electric wheelchair operating device of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Temporary stop switch 2 Minimum radius left turn switch 3 Minimum radius right turn switch 4 Power switch 5 Forward / reverse switch 6a Left wheel reverse switch 6b Right wheel reverse switch 7a Left wheel temporary stop switch 7b Right wheel temporary stop switch 8a Variable resistor for forward movement 8b Variable resistor for forward movement 9a Variable resistor for backward movement 9b Variable resistor for backward movement 11 Joystick knob 50 Controller 51 Timer 52 Ratchet relay 53 Storage battery (battery)
54 Standard circuit in control box 55 Switch for assistant (for main controller)
56 Safety switch for belt 57 Switch for caregiver (for ratchet relay, timer, lamp)
58 Wire safety device J Shift lever K Operation support and wire retainer L Operation ring M Operation wire O Mandrel (1) to (6) Conductor

Claims (6)

In a wheelchair provided with a storage battery and an electric motor and driven by the driving force of the electric motor, the inner wall portion in the controller 50 for operating the electric wheelchair has a curvature, and the inner wall portion in the controller 50 is curved. A power switch 4, a temporary stop switch 1, a temporary stop switch 7a, 7b, a reverse switch 6a, 6b, a minimum radius left turn switch 2, and a minimum radius right turn switch 3 are provided on the curve, Includes a mandrel O, forward variable resistors 8a and 8b are connected to both ends of the mandrel O, a forward / reverse selector switch 5 that is operated by the operation of the mandrel O, and a shift lever J to which the mandrel O is interlocked. In addition, an operation assisting / combining wire holder K is provided, and the operation wire M is fixed to the shift lever J, and the operation assisting / combining wire is provided. While passing through the holding tool K and extending to the outside of the controller 50, an operating ring L is attached to the tip of the operating wire M extending to the outside of the controller 50, and the reverse variable resistor 9a. Electric wheelchair operating device characterized by comprising 9b The reverse switch 6a, 6b, the temporary stop switch 7a, 7b, the forward variable resistor 8a, 8b and the reverse variable resistor 9a, 9b in the controller 50 are provided in pairs for the left and right wheels, respectively. The operating device for an electric wheelchair according to claim 1 By pulling the ring L at the distal end portion of the operation wire M to a desired travel operation position, the operation assisting / combining wire holder K and the shift lever J interlocked with the operation wire M follow the curved surface. By moving to a desired travel operation position while drawing a circle, the necessary switches associated with the travel are touched and actuated, and the mandrel O linked to the shift lever J is moved to move the forward variable resistor 8a. 8b or the reverse variable resistors 9a and 9b are operated, and the forward / backward changeover switch is operated by the operation of the mandrel O, and conversely using the operation ring L and the operation assisting wire holder K. By pushing back to the desired travel operation position, the shift lever J returns and moves to the desired travel operation position. At the same time, the mandrel O is interlocked with the shift lever J, and the forward variable resistors 8a and 8b or the reverse variable resistors 9a and 9b are operated. The electric wheelchair operating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein 5 operates and travels. 3. The electric wheelchair operating device according to claim 1, wherein three lead wires {circle around (1)}, {circle around (2)}, {circle around (3)} wired to the forward variable resistor 8a, the reverse variable resistor 9a, and the forward variable. Of the three conductors (4), (5), and (6) wired to the resistor 8b and the reverse variable resistor 9b, the minimum radius left turn switch 2 is connected to the conductor (3) and the conductor (4) is connected. Electric wheelchair operating device formed so as to provide a switch 3 for turning to the minimum radius right The electric wheelchair operating device according to claim 1, wherein the power switch 4 provided inside the controller 50 is connected to a timer 51 outside the controller 50, and opens and closes a ratchet relay 52 connected to the timer 51 to open and close the power source. Electric wheelchair operating device formed to be wired from the timer 51 to the storage battery The electric wheelchair operating device according to claim 1, wherein the electric wire is stopped and the wheelchair is stopped when the operation wire M and the belt portion are cut.

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