JP5425587B2 - Wheelchair electrification device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a wheelchair electrification device that can easily electrify a manual wheelchair.

Conventionally, manual wheelchairs have been widely used for the movement of people with reduced mobility. The manual wheelchair moves when the user turns the hand rim attached to the rear wheel of the manual wheelchair or the caregiver holds and pushes the push handle.

Such a manual wheelchair has a problem that the degree of freedom of movement becomes small and inconvenient when a user or a caregiver is weak.

Therefore, there is also an electric wheelchair for solving such a problem. However, the electric wheelchair is expensive, and the manual wheelchair that has been used up to now must be discarded, resulting in an inconvenience that the wheelchair user has an increased economic burden.

In order to eliminate such inconvenience, a motorizing device (Patent Document 1) and an auxiliary driving device (Patent Document 2) that can be mounted on a manual wheelchair and electrified have been proposed.

The motorized device (Patent Document 1) removably attaches a plate member attached with a motor to the inside of a frame main body having a seat of a manual wheelchair on the upper side, and applies the driving force of the motor to the rear wheel of the manual wheelchair. Electric transmission is realized by transmitting directly to the outer periphery.

In addition, the auxiliary drive device (Patent Document 2) is configured such that an auxiliary frame portion including a driving wheel and a motor for driving the auxiliary wheel portion is provided between the independent walking side rings at the lower portion of the frame main body of the manual wheelchair by a spring. The drive wheel is driven by a motor while urging the driving surface by a spring to realize electrification.

However, the conventional technique has a problem that the installation is complicated. For example, in the apparatus of Patent Document 1, since a plate member to which a motor is attached is mounted in a complicated pipe structure of a frame body whose rigidity is reinforced by a plow structure or the like, it takes time for mounting. Further, in the apparatus of Patent Document 2, it is necessary to attach the auxiliary frame part by turning over the frame body having a complicated pipe structure on the relatively heavy rear wheel side, and the attachment is not simple.

JP-A-11-267157 JP 2002-301113 A

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that can be easily attached to a manual wheelchair and can be easily motorized.

The wheelchair electrification device according to claim 1 includes a substantially flat base body for scooping up and placing a rear wheel of a manual wheelchair, a pair of electric wheels provided on left and right sides of the base body, and a base body. a wheelchair electric apparatus having an auxiliary wheel provided on the lower surface of the rear, fixed to a substrate darken the rear wheels of the manual wheelchair, where a vertically long holes provided on the left and right of the base fixed When the single body has a center of gravity in front of the axle, the front end of the base comes in contact with the ground, and both rear wheels are introduced, the base rises after the introduction of both rear wheels, and the rear wheels are fixed by the fixing portion. Is characterized in that the center of the two rear wheels is positioned between the axle and the auxiliary wheel to enable stable rear wheel fixing .

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the wheelchair is pulled in, the front end (front side) can be smoothly introduced (attached) to the ground, and after the introduction, the base body rises and the rear wheel is stably fixed. The electric wheel which is an alternative rear wheel can be easily electrified. Further, the rear wheel can be simply fixed and the entire apparatus can be reduced in weight.

It should be noted that the pair of electric wheels provided on the left and right sides of the base body may be located outside both rear wheels of the manual wheelchair or may be located inside. Moreover, although the aspect which comprises an electric wheel by a wheel part, a motor part, and a battery part can be mentioned, it is not limited to this, If it is a wheel which moves electrically, it will not specifically limit. Further, a small turn can be realized by separately controlling the drive. If the size of the front wheel is not large, such as a wheelchair rear wheel, the entire apparatus can be reduced in size and weight. One auxiliary wheel may be provided at the rear end of the substrate center line, or one auxiliary wheel may be provided at an equal distance from the substrate center line. Moreover, the auxiliary | assistant wheel can mention the aspect which can be swung freely like a manual wheelchair front wheel. Note that the center of both rear wheels is located between the axle and the auxiliary wheel means that the position of the rear wheel axles vertically projected on the base is located between the axle line of the electric wheel and the auxiliary wheel. To do. Thereby, when the rear wheel of the manual wheelchair moves behind the electric wheel, the center of gravity moves and the base becomes horizontal.

The wheelchair electrification device according to claim 2 includes a substantially flat base body for scooping up and mounting a rear wheel of a manual wheelchair, a pair of auxiliary wheels provided on left and right sides of the base body, and a base body. an electric wheel provided on the lower surface of the rear, a wheelchair motorized device with and fixed to the base darken the rear wheels of the manual wheelchair, where a vertically long holes provided on the left and right of the base fixed A single unit has a center of gravity in front of the axle, and the base end is grounded to introduce both rear wheels. After the introduction of both rear wheels, the base rises and the rear wheels are fixed by the fixing portion. In some cases, the center of the two rear wheels is positioned between the axle and the electric wheel to enable stable rear wheel fixing .

That is, in the invention according to claim 2, when the wheelchair is pulled in, the front end (front side) can be smoothly introduced (mounted) on the ground, and after the introduction, the base body rises and the rear wheel is stably fixed. The electric wheel which is an alternative rear wheel can be easily electrified. Further, the rear wheel can be simply fixed and the entire apparatus can be reduced in weight.

It should be noted that the pair of auxiliary wheels provided on the left and right sides of the base body may be on the outer side of both rear wheels of the manual wheelchair or may be positioned on the inner side. Moreover, although the aspect which comprises an electric wheel by a wheel part, a motor part, and a battery part can be mentioned, it is not limited to this, If it is a wheel which moves electrically, it will not specifically limit. Further, a small turn can be realized by separately controlling the drive. If the size of the front wheel is not large, such as a wheelchair rear wheel, the entire apparatus can be reduced in size and weight. One electric wheel may be provided at the rear end of the base line of the base body, or may be provided at left and right sides at an equal distance from the base line of the base body. If one is provided, the head can be swung freely and the direction can be changed. Note that the fact that the center of both rear wheels is located between the axle and the electric wheel means that the position obtained by vertically projecting the axles of both rear wheels on the base is located between the axle line of the auxiliary wheel and the electric wheel. To do. Thereby, when the rear wheel of the manual wheelchair moves behind the auxiliary wheel, the center of gravity moves and the base body becomes horizontal.

Further, the wheelchair electrification device according to claim 3 is the wheelchair electrification device according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that an anti-slip is applied to a ground contact portion in front of the lower surface of the base.

That is, the invention according to claim 3 can smoothly pass the device under the wheelchair without slipping the device back. Note that the anti-slip may be a mode in which a rubber sheet is attached, may be a processing treatment that roughens the surface, and is not particularly limited as long as the frictional force with the ground contact surface increases.

Further, the wheelchair electrification device according to claim 4 is the wheelchair electrification device according to claim 1 , 2 or 3 , wherein the base shape is a U shape or C shape and is cut out from the center to the rear end. It is characterized by that.

In other words, the invention according to claim 4 makes it easy to design the center of gravity, and makes it possible to reduce the weight of the entire apparatus. In addition, the shape cut out from the center to the rear end means that the flat plate is cut out from the center to the rear end to be substantially U-shaped or C-shaped.

Further, the wheelchair electrification device according to claim 5 is a control box for controlling an electric wheel operable in the vicinity of an armrest of a manual wheelchair in the wheelchair electrification device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. It is provided with.

In the invention according to claim 5 , the electric wheel can be driven at hand. The control box can also be called an operation box. It may be wired control or wireless control. Depending on the mode of use, a joystick-like controller may be used. The mode of positioning in the vicinity of the armrest is not particularly limited, and a mode in which the arm rises from the base may be used, or a mode in which the control box is directly fixed to the armrest with a hook-and-loop fastener may be used.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the apparatus which can be simply attached with respect to a manual wheelchair and can be easily electrified can be provided. More specifically, according to the present invention (Claims 1 and 2), when the wheelchair is pulled in, the tip (front) can be smoothly introduced (mounted) on the ground, and after the introduction, the base body As a result, the rear wheel is stably fixed, and the electric wheel which is an alternative rear wheel can be easily electrified. Also, you can secure the rear wheel easy flight, and it is possible to reduce the weight of the entire device. In addition, according to the present invention (Claim 3 ), the device does not slip back and can be smoothly passed under the wheelchair. Further, according to the present invention (Claim 4 ), the center of gravity can be easily designed, and the entire apparatus can be reduced in weight. Further, according to the present invention (Claim 5 ), the electric wheels can be driven at hand.

It is the top view which showed one Embodiment of the wheelchair motorization apparatus of this invention. It is the schematic diagram which showed the mode before and after electrifying a manual wheelchair using the wheelchair electrification apparatus of this invention. It is the top view which showed the example of the wheelchair electrification apparatus which provided the electric wheel inside the base | substrate. It is the side surface schematic diagram which showed the example of the wheelchair electrification apparatus which the auxiliary wheel was in front and the electric wheel attached to the back.

Hereinafter, it will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the wheelchair electrification apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, the front wheel, rear wheel and hand rim of the manual wheelchair are also shown as auxiliary. Drawing 2 is a mimetic diagram showing the situation before and after electrification of a manual wheelchair using the wheelchair electrification device of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the electrification apparatus 100 has a configuration in which a pair of left and right electric wheels 102 and auxiliary wheels 103 are attached to a flat base 101 and is driven and controlled by a controller 104.

The base 101 includes a front plate portion 111 and a side plate portion 112 (a left side plate portion 112L and a right side plate portion 112R), which are configured to form a U shape so that the center of gravity is positioned more than the front. Accordingly, when the manual wheelchair K is not put on the basis of the positional relationship with the axle of the electric wheel 102, the electrification device 100 assumes a forward turning posture, and the front plate portion 111 tip is grounded. With this posture, if the manual wheelchair K is moved backward, it will naturally ride on the motorized device 100, so that smooth introduction (wheelchair placement) becomes possible. In addition, a rubber sheet 113 is attached to the back of the front end of the front plate portion 111, that is, the grounding surface, so as to prevent slipping when the manual wheelchair K is pulled up.

The side plate portion 112 is provided with a longitudinal rectangular rear wheel mounting hole 112h, and after the motorized device 100 scoops up the rear wheel, it is dropped and fixed stably. In addition, in order to respond widely to the difference in the distance between the rear wheels of the manual wheelchair K, it is made somewhat wide on the short side of the rear wheel mounting hole 112h. In addition, the long side of the rear wheel mounting hole 112h is set to a length such that the rear wheel of the manual wheelchair K is dropped and the hand rim does not contact the short side. Since the hand rim is usually made of metal and the rear wheel is made of rubber, only the rubber part having a large coefficient of friction comes into contact with the short sides of the rear wheel mounting hole 112h and is more stably fixed. is there. Further, when the hand rim is placed in contact with the short side, the road surface is picked up by the unevenness of the road surface, and the ride comfort is deteriorated. From this point as well, the length is set such that only the rear wheel contacts.

Depending on the mode of use, the rear wheel mounting hole 112h may have a short side narrowing toward the ground so as to secure a wider contact area of the rear wheel, or a friction coefficient such as rubber. It may be coated with a large material. Thereby, the manual wheelchair K is fixed more stably. Moreover, you may make it provide the adjuster which can adjust a short side space | interval (long side length). As a result, it is possible to easily adjust the interval at which the hand rim does not contact.

The electric wheel 102 is installed so that the axles are aligned on both the left and right sides of the base 101, and includes a wheel part 121, a motor 122, and a battery 123. The electric wheel 102 is driven and controlled by the controller 104 at hand, and for example, the left electric wheel 102L is rotated in the forward direction and the right electric wheel 102R is rotated in the reverse direction, so that the manual wheelchair K can be electrically turned.

Since the motorized device 100 is placed so as to scoop up the manual wheelchair K, the height is inevitably limited. That is, it is preferable that the wheel portion 121 has a diameter of about 15 cm to 40 cm. If the wheel portion 121 is small, the torque required for driving can be reduced, the motor 122 can be reduced in size, and the capacity of the battery 123 can be reduced. Therefore, the wheel portion 121 preferably has a small diameter. The battery 123 can be used in various capacities depending on the application of the electrification device 100, but can be easily replaced by an attaching / detaching mechanism (not shown) and can be driven substantially for a long time by a spare battery. The battery 123 may be configured to be rechargeable using a household power source as a rechargeable battery.

The rear wheel mounting hole 112h (center thereof) is positioned behind the axle of the wheel portion 121 so as to hold the manual wheelchair K stably.

The auxiliary wheels 103 are respectively provided at the rear end of the back surface of the base body 101 behind the wheel portion 121. The auxiliary wheel 103 freely rotates (swings) about the vertical direction as an axis, realizes a smooth small turn of the motorized device 100, and is grounded when the manual wheelchair K rides on the motorized device 100 to be motorized. It plays a role of keeping the posture of the apparatus 100 (the posture of the base body 101) substantially parallel.

The controller 104 is affixed to the handrail of the manual wheelchair K with a hook-and-loop fastener. The operation form or mode of the controller 104 is not particularly limited, but an intuitive operation using a joystick may be realized.

A state of mounting the motorized device 100 on the manual wheelchair K will be described. First, the motorized device 100 is positioned behind the manual wheelchair K. At this time, the front plate 111 and the rear wheel of the manual wheelchair K are set to face each other. That is, the manual wheelchair K and the direction of the motorized device 100 are aligned. At this time, the front plate portion 111 of the motorized device 100 is grounded.

Holding the handle of the manual wheelchair K, the operator moves the manual wheelchair K backward. In some cases, the user of the manual wheelchair K may move backward while operating the hand rim while riding on the wheelchair. The rear wheel of the manual wheelchair K steps on the front plate 111 and rides on as it is. At this time, the motorized device 100 does not slide due to the frictional force of the rubber sheet 113 and permits the manual wheelchair K to be ridden.

If the rear wheel moves backward as it is, and the rear wheel exceeds the axle height of the wheel portion 121, the front plate portion 111 is lifted by the movement of the center of gravity of the motorized device 100, the auxiliary wheel 103 is grounded, and the base body 101 is in a horizontal posture. Prior to this, when the rear wheel approaches the rear wheel mounting hole 112h, the weight of the manual wheelchair K guides the rear wheel to be pulled into the rear wheel mounting hole 112h, and the left and right rear wheels are left as they are. Contacts the short sides before and after the hole and is fixed.

Since it is the above structure, according to the electrification apparatus 100, it can be simply attached to a manual wheelchair and can be easily electrified.

The above is one embodiment, and various aspects can be adopted. For example, you may make it provide the electric wheel 102 inside the base | substrate 101. FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of a wheelchair electrification apparatus in which electric wheels are provided inside the base body. As shown in the figure, the electric wheelchair electrification apparatus 100 becomes compact when the electric wheels 102 are inside.

In addition, the positional relationship between the electric wheel 102 and the auxiliary wheel 103 can be reversed. FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing an example of a wheelchair electrification apparatus with auxiliary wheels in front and electric wheels behind. In this case, it is necessary to increase the diameter of the auxiliary wheel 103 to some extent from the relationship of scooping up the rear wheel of the manual wheelchair. In addition, the front plate portion 111 is appropriately increased in weight as necessary in order to achieve a front-turned posture before placing the manual wheelchair.

In addition, for example, the base 101 may not be U-shaped but may be C-shaped or U-shaped. Further, the rear wheel of the manual wheelchair K may be fixed by a recess instead of a hole. Further, when the weight of the wheel is applied, a mechanism may be used in which the wheel or the bar sandwiches the wheel from both sides in conjunction with the weight.

For example, the present invention can be used in a department store, a supermarket, a library, an art museum or the like having a relatively smooth floor surface in a situation where it cannot be used for a long time, thereby realizing a simple and efficient practical use. In these places, a guide line may be appropriately drawn on the floor surface, and this may be detected by the motorized device to guide the wheelchair.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Electrification apparatus 101 Base body 102 Electric wheel (102L: Left electric wheel, 102R: Right electric wheel)
103 Auxiliary Wheel 104 Controller 111 Front Plate 112 Side Plate (112L: Left Plate, 112R: Right Plate)
112h Rear wheel mounting hole 113 Rubber sheet 121 Wheel portion 122 Motor 123 Battery

Claims (5)

A substantially flat base for scooping up and placing the rear wheel of the manual wheelchair;
A pair of electric wheels provided on the left and right of the base body with the axles in a straight line;
An auxiliary wheel provided behind the lower surface of the base body;
A wheelchair electrification device comprising:
Fixed to the base body darken the rear wheels of the manual wheelchair, which fixed portion where an elongated hole provided on the left and right of the substrate,
A single body has a center of gravity in front of the axle, the tip of the base is grounded, and both rear wheels are introduced,
Substrate rising after the introduction of the rear wheels, as the center of the both rear wheel when the rear wheels by the fixing portion is fixed is positioned between the auxiliary wheel and the axle, stable A wheelchair electrification device characterized in that the rear wheel can be fixed . A substantially flat base for scooping up and placing the rear wheel of the manual wheelchair;
A pair of auxiliary wheels provided on the left and right sides of the base body with the axles in a straight line;
An electric wheel provided behind the lower surface of the base;
A wheelchair electrification device comprising:
Fixed to the base body darken the rear wheels of the manual wheelchair, which fixed portion where an elongated hole provided on the left and right of the substrate,
A single body has a center of gravity in front of the axle, the tip of the base is grounded, and both rear wheels are introduced,
Substrate rising after the introduction of the rear wheels, as the center of the both rear wheel when the rear wheels are fixed by the fixing portion is located between said electric wheel and the axle, stable A wheelchair electrification device characterized in that the rear wheel can be fixed . The wheelchair electrification device according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that an anti-slip is applied to a ground contact portion in front of the lower surface of the base body. 4. The wheelchair electrification apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the base body has a U-shape or C-shape and is cut out from the center to the rear end. The wheelchair electrification device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , further comprising a control box that controls an electric wheel that can be operated near an armrest of a manual wheelchair.

Images