JP7553734B1 - Shoehorn - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a shoe horn that allows people with disabilities in their lower limbs to easily put on shoes. [Solution] The shoe horn of the present invention comprises a base having a front base part with a shoe fitting part at the front for fitting and gripping a shoe and a rear base part extending rearward of the front base part, a stopper part provided above the base part, two joints having a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, a first joint and a second joint, a spatula whose cross section perpendicular to the extension direction is U-shaped, and a handle bar attached to the side of the stopper part and extending upward, wherein one end of the second arm is rotatably attached to one end of the first arm with the first joint as a rotation axis, and the other end of the second arm is rotatably attached to one end of the third arm with the second joint as a rotation axis, and the first joint and the second joint work together to move the spatula from a horizontal position to a vertical position. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a shoehorn that allows people who have difficulty putting on their shoes with their toes to easily put on their shoes.

When putting on shoes, it is first necessary to place the toes into the opening of the shoe. However, even if the toes are placed into the opening of the shoe, it is not necessarily easy to place the heel of the foot into the opening of the shoe. For this reason, shoe horns are used to make it easier to place the heel of the foot into the opening of the shoe.

Patent Document 1 also discloses a pair of shoe horns attached to the entrance threshold so that people with physical disabilities such as limbs can easily put on shoes.

On the other hand, when putting on shoes while standing, there is nothing to support the body, and so it can be unsteady. In response to this, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a shoehorn that uses two spatulas to guide the heel and tongue of the shoe and open the opening of the shoe, as well as a walking stick equipped with the same.

Utility Model Registration No. 3082924 JP 2019-115644 A

Isbu October 20, 2019 "How to wear shoes for cervical spinal cord injury" https://www.youtube.com/watchi?v=3MGUX3ZUUtk Kazuya Mitsui November 25, 2022 "How to put on shoes by yourself even if you have a disability in your hands (spinal cord injury accident)" https://www. youtube. com/watchi? v=93DalYobXcc

Here, Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose how a person with a disability in the lower limbs (hereinafter also referred to as a "person with a disability in the lower limbs"), for example a person with a spinal cord injury, puts on shoes while sitting in a wheelchair. Next, Figures 21 to 23 show the steps for a person with a spinal cord injury to put on shoes on their left foot while sitting in a wheelchair.

When a person with a spinal cord injury puts on shoes, first place the shoe within reach. Next, hook one foot over the hand and externally rotate, flex, and abduct the hip joint, and lift the foot onto the other knee by flexing the knee joint (Figure 21). Next, insert the toe of the foot into the opening of the shoe that is hooked over the hand, push the sole of the shoe with the hand, and insert the heel of the foot into the opening of the shoe (Figure 22). Furthermore, in order to pull out the heel of the shoe that has been pushed into the opening by the heel of the foot, an S-hook is hooked onto the loop at the heel of the shoe and the heel is pulled out (Figure 23).

As such, putting on shoes requires a very complicated process for people with disabilities. For example, even with the shoehorn disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is difficult for people with disabilities to insert their toes into the opening of the shoe. Also, even with the shoehorn disclosed in Patent Document 2, which has the function of guiding the heel and tongue of the shoe with two spatulas to open the opening of the shoe, and a cane equipped with this, it is possible to put the heel into the shoe, but it is necessary for the person to put the toes into the shoe by themselves.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a shoehorn that can assist people with disabilities in their lower limbs, such as those with spinal cord injuries, in putting on shoes easily by first inserting their toes into the opening of the shoe and then assisting them in putting their heels into the shoe.

The shoe horn according to the present invention is a shoe horn used by a person with a lower limb disability,
a base having a lower part including a front base part having a shoe fitting part at the front for fitting and gripping a shoe and a rear base part extending rearward from the front base part, a stopper part provided above the lower part of the base, a two-joint mounting part located on the front surface of the upper part of the stopper part, and a front stopper part located on the front surface of the stopper part at a position lower than the top of the stopper part;
a bi-joint having a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, a first joint, and a second joint;
a spatula having a generally U-shaped cross section perpendicular to the extension direction, the spatula being attached to the upper surface of the first arm and restricted from rotating backward by a back surface of the spatula contacting an apex stopper portion located at the apex of the stopper portion;
A handle bar attached to a side surface of the stopper portion and extending upward,
This shoe horn is characterized in that one end of a second arm is rotatably attached to one end of a first arm with a first joint as a rotation axis, and the other end of the second arm is rotatably attached to one end of a third arm with the second joint as a rotation axis, and the first joint and second joint work together to move the spatula from horizontal to vertical relative to the floor surface.

The shoehorn of the present invention allows people with disabilities in their lower limbs, such as those with spinal cord injuries, to put on their shoes easily by first inserting their toes into the opening of the shoe and then assisting them in putting their heels into the shoe.

The shoehorn of the present invention is characterized in that the front part of the spatula, located approximately forward of the center of the spatula, is narrower than the rear part of the spatula, which extends rearward from the front part.

The shoe horn of the present invention allows the spatula to be easily inserted into the opening of a shoe.

The shoe horn of the present invention is characterized in that the tip of the front part of the spatula has a heel insertion part that is inclined from the extension surface of the spatula toward the back surface.

With the shoe horn of the present invention, when the heel is placed inside the shoe (when the shoes are put on), the rear part of the spatula fits along the calf, so the shoe horn does not get in the way.

The shoe horn of the present invention is characterized by having a grip located at the top of a handle bar, a strap-shaped handle cord attached at both ends to the lower and upper ends of the grip, and a handle loop attached to the upper end of the handle bar.

With the shoehorn of the present invention, if it has a handle string, you can easily grip the handle bar and move the shoehorn back and forth and left and right, and if it has a handle loop, you can easily grip the top end of the handle bar and move the shoehorn up and down.

The shoehorn of the present invention is characterized by having an elastic body on the inside of the front base part.

The shoehorn of the present invention allows you to securely grip the shoe.

The shoehorn of the present invention is characterized in that the spatula can stand upright with the back surface of the spatula in contact with the back surface of the stopper.

The shoe horn of the present invention can also be used to take off shoes.

The shoehorn of the present invention can provide a shoehorn that allows people with disabilities in their lower limbs, such as those with spinal cord injuries, to put on their shoes easily by first inserting their toes into the opening of the shoe and then assisting them in putting their heels into the shoe.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a shoe horn 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a handle bar 6 is disposed on the right side. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the shoe horn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which the handle bar 6 is disposed on the left side. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the base 2 of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, seen from the upper right. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the base 2, the two joints 5, and the spatula 4 in the shoe horn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the base 2 of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a rear view of the shoe horn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the spatula 4 of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a right side view of the spatula 4 of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a rear view of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention with the two joints 5 extended flat. FIG. 10 is a right side view of the two joints 5 of the shoe horn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the shoe horn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, with the spatula 4 of the shoe horn 1 in a horizontal position and the handle bar 6 omitted. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which the spatula 4 of the shoehorn 1 is inclined so as to contact the front stopper, and the handle bar 6 is omitted. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, with the spatula 4 tilted vertically, omitting the handle bar 6. FIG. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, with the spatula 4 standing upright on the back surface of the stopper portion. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the upper part of the handle bar 6 of the shoe horn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a loop-shaped body 64a incorporated in the handle loop 64 of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing a first step of the use state of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing a second step of the usage state of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing a third step of the usage state of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing a fourth step of the usage state of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a person with a spinal cord injury sitting in a wheelchair has one foot raised above the other knee when putting on shoes. FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a person with a spinal cord injury sitting in a wheelchair is putting on shoes by pushing the sole of the shoe with his/her hand and putting the heel into the shoe. Figure 23 is a schematic diagram showing a person with a spinal cord injury sitting in a wheelchair putting on shoes, using an S-hook to hook onto a loop on the heel of the shoe and pulling the heel out.

First, an embodiment of the shoe horn 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

Figures 1 and 2 are schematic perspective views of a shoehorn 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a form in which the handle bar 6 is arranged on the right side, and Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a form in which the handle bar 6 is arranged on the left side.

The shoehorn 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a shoehorn 1 used by a person with a leg disability (a person with a leg disability), and includes a base 2, a spatula 4 on which a foot 8 is placed and the toes are slid into the opening of a shoe 7 when putting on a shoe 7, a two-joint 5 that movably attaches the spatula 4 to the base 2, and a handle bar 6 for moving the shoehorn 1 and placing it in a specified position.

First, we will explain the base 2 of the shoehorn 1 according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the base 2 of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, seen from the upper right, and Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the base 2, the two joints 5, and the spatula 4. Also, Figure 5 is a bottom view of the base 2 of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The base 2 of the shoehorn 1 according to the present invention has a lower base portion 21 that contacts the floor surface and a stopper portion 22 that is located above the lower base portion 21. The base 2 allows the shoehorn 1 to stand on its own, and also grips the shoe 7 to be put on when the shoehorn 1 according to the present invention is used to put on the shoe 7.

The base 2 is preferably heavy and large enough to prevent the shoehorn 1 from tipping over when it is standing upright, and has a bottom surface that is horizontal to the floor. The base 2 may be made of, for example, metal, wood, resin, etc.

The lower base part 21 has a front base part 211, a rear base part 26, a shoe fitting part 23, an elastic body attachment part 24, and a bottom hole 25, and the stopper part 22 has a top stopper part 221, a front stopper, a two-joint attachment part 223, and a handle bar attachment part 224 (Figure 3).

The lower base 21 has a front base part 211 in front of the lower base 21 to prevent the shoe horn 1 from falling forward when the shoe horn 1 according to the present invention is used to put on a shoe 7. The front base part 211 has a shoe fitting part 23 consisting of a right front base part 211a and a left front base part 211b, which sandwiches the shoe 7 inside when putting on the shoe 7 and positions the shoe 7 in a predetermined position. It is preferable that the joint between the right front base part 211a and the left front base part 211b, and the innermost part of the shoe fitting part 23, be V-shaped, because this ensures that the shoe is centered when it is fitted into the shoe fitting part 23.

The length by which the right front base portion 211a and the left front base portion 211b each extend forward is 4 to 12 cm. If the shoe 7 is to be securely gripped and moved using the shoehorn 1 according to the present invention, a length of 8 to 12 cm is preferable. On the other hand, if there is no need to move the shoe 7 using the shoehorn 1, the length by which the right front base portion 211a and the left front base portion 211b each extend forward may be shorter, for example, 4 to 8 cm (Figure 4).

On the other hand, the width between the right front base portion 211a and the left front base portion 211b is 8 to 12 cm. If the width is less than 8 cm, it becomes difficult to store the shoe 7, and if it exceeds 12 cm, it becomes difficult to hold the shoe 7 securely, which is undesirable.

The lower base 21 has a rear base portion 26 at the rear of the lower base 21 to prevent the shoehorn 1 from falling backwards when the shoehorn 1 is used to put on a shoe 7. The rear base portion 26 is sufficient if it allows the shoehorn 1 to stand stably, and may be missing a central portion in the left-right direction, so that the bottom surface of the lower base 21 is roughly H-shaped.

In addition, since people with spinal cord injuries not only have impaired lower limbs, but also may not have sufficient gripping strength in their hands, a heavy shoehorn 1 is not preferable because it requires a lot of muscle strength to lift it. If it is possible to make the shoehorn 1 stable and self-supporting, for example, having a bottom hole 25 in the lower part of the base 21 would be preferable, as this would reduce the weight of the shoehorn 1 (Figure 5). The base 2 may also have a hollow structure to reduce the weight.

It is also preferable to have a pair of elastic bodies 3 on the elastic body attachment parts 24 near the inner tips of the right front base part 211a and the left front base part 211b, as this makes it easier to grip the shoe 7. The elastic body 3 may be made of any material that can easily grip the shoe 7, and may be, for example, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, sponge, a spring, etc.

The stopper portion 22 has a top stopper portion 221 that has a flat surface at the top that is approximately horizontal to the floor surface, a front stopper portion 222 at the front, a two-joint attachment portion 223 between the front stopper portion 222 and the top stopper portion 221 for attaching the two-joint 5, and a handle bar attachment portion 224 on the side.

The top stopper portion 221 is not limited to a flat surface, but may be a curved surface as long as it can maintain the spatula 4 and the floor approximately horizontal so that the foot 8 is placed on the spatula 4 horizontally relative to the floor when putting on the shoe 7.

The front stopper portion 222 is used to stop the spatula 4 in a fixed position when the spatula 4 is tilted forward to insert the toe of the foot 8 into the opening of the shoe 7. The front stopper portion 222 only needs to be able to stop the spatula 4 in a fixed position, and the outer surface of the front stopper portion 222 has a flat or convex curved surface in cross section in the front-to-rear direction of the front stopper portion 222.

The two-joint mounting portion 223 is located on the upper front surface of the stopper portion 22 between the front stopper portion 222 and the top stopper portion 221, and is a slit-like cutout provided between the top stopper portion 221 and the front stopper portion 222.

The third arm 55 of the bi-joint 5 is fitted into the bi-joint attachment part 223 and fixed with a screw (Fig. 5). Note that as long as the bi-joint 5 can be fixed to the base 2, the fixing method is not limited to screws and may be, for example, adhesive. Also, the fixing method of the bi-joint 5 to the stopper part 22 is not limited to the bi-joint attachment part 223 which is a slit-shaped cut, and the bi-joint 5 may be fixed to the front surface of the stopper part 22 or the top stopper part 221 as long as the bi-joint 5 is reliably attached to the stopper part 22.

The handle bar attachment portion 224 is provided on the side of the stopper portion 22. A handle bar 6 is attached to the handle bar attachment portion 224 to place the shoehorn 1 in a predetermined position and maintain the position of the shoehorn 1 when putting on a shoe 7. The handle bar attachment portion 224 may be provided on either the left or right side of the stopper portion 22 depending on the dominant hand of the user. For right-handed people, it may be provided on the right side of the stopper portion 22 (Fig. 1), and for left-handed people, it may be provided on the left side of the stopper portion 22 (Fig. 2).

Note that the handle bar attachment portion 224 is not shown in the figure, since it is located on the right side of the stopper portion 22 in FIG. 1 and on the left side of the stopper portion 22 in FIG. 2.

The handle bar attachment portion 224 may be provided on the lower base portion 21 as long as it can place the shoe horn 1 in a predetermined position and maintain the position of the shoe horn 1 when putting on the shoe 7.

Next, the spatula 4 of the shoehorn 1 according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the spatula 4 of the shoehorn 1 of an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 8 is a right side view.

The spatula 4 according to the present invention has a spatula front part 41, a spatula rear part 42, a heel insertion part 43, and a two-joint stop part 45.

The spatula 4 is a plate-like body with an open top and a roughly U-shaped cross section in the direction perpendicular to the extension direction (left and right direction) with a length in the extension (front-back) direction of 23 to 30 cm. If the length in the extension direction is less than 23 cm, the foot 8 cannot be placed stably. On the other hand, if the length in the extension direction exceeds 30 cm, when the shoe horn 1 is used to put on the shoe 7 and the spatula 4 is in an upright position, the rear part of the spatula 4 will come into contact with the back of the knee or thigh, which is undesirable.

The rear of the spatula 4 has a spatula rear part 42 on which the foot 8 is placed when the shoehorn 1 is used to put on the shoe 7. The spatula rear part 42 has a width of 5 to 8 cm. If the width is less than 5 cm, it is difficult to place the foot 8 on it, which is not preferred. On the other hand, if the width of the spatula rear part 42 exceeds 8 cm, it becomes difficult to determine the position of the foot 8 when it is placed on it, which is also not preferred.

The spatula 4 has a front part 41 with a width of 3 to 5 cm at the front of the spatula 4. The spatula 4 has a heel insertion part 43 at the tip of the front part 41 of the spatula, which is inclined 8 to 25 degrees from the extension surface of the spatula 4 toward the back surface. If the width of the front part 41 of the spatula is less than 3 cm, it becomes difficult to place the foot 8 stably, while if it exceeds 5 cm, it becomes difficult to insert the front part 41 of the spatula into the shoe 7, which is not preferable. In addition, if the heel insertion part 43 is inclined 8 to 25 degrees downward from the extension surface of the spatula 4, the spatula 4 will fit along the heel, Achilles tendon, and calf when the foot 8 is placed in the shoe 7, which is preferable.

The spatula 4 has a two-joint fastening part 45 that fastens the two joints 5 to the back surface at approximately the center of the spatula 4. The two joints 5 are fastened to the two-joint fastening part 45 with screws. Note that the two joints 5 only need to be fastened to the two-joint fastening part 45, and may be fastened with any method other than screws, for example, with an adhesive.

The spatula 4 may be made of, for example, resin, metal, or wood, as long as it has the strength to not deform when the foot 8 is placed on it and pressed down from above. In addition, it is preferable that the upper surface of the spatula 4 is smooth, since the foot 8 slides over the upper surface and into the opening of the shoe 7. For example, the upper surface of the spatula 4 may be painted to make it smooth.

Next, the two joints 5 will be explained using Figures 9 and 10.

Figure 9 is a rear view of the two joints 5 of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention in a state where they are extended in a plane, and Figure 10 is a right side view of the two joints 5 of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The two-joint 5 has a first arm 53, a second arm 54, a third arm 55, a first joint 51, a second joint 52, and a base mounting portion 56.

Each of the first arm 53, the second arm 54, and the third arm 55 is a plate-like body made of a material strong enough to withstand being pressed down by the foot 8 when the foot 8 is placed on the spatula 4 and the shoe 7 is put on. The first arm 53 is fixed to the two-joint stopper 45 of the spatula 4. One end of the second arm 54 is rotatably attached to one end of the first arm 53 with the first joint 51 as the rotation axis, and the other end of the second arm 54 is rotatably attached to one end of the third arm 55 with the second joint 52 as the rotation axis. The base attachment part 56 located on the back surface of the third arm 55 is fixed to the two-joint attachment part 223 of the base 2.

When the spatula 4 is held horizontally, if the spatula 4 tilts forward due to its own weight, it will be difficult to place the foot 8 on it. Therefore, the second joint 52 needs to have a frictional force that prevents the spatula 4 from rotating so that it does not tilt forward due to its own weight. On the other hand, if the first joint 51 can rotate with less force than the second joint 52, the spatula 4 can be tilted with a small force in the direction of gravity when inserting the heel into the opening of the shoe 7, making it easier to insert the heel into the opening, which is preferable.

Next, the movement of the spatula 4 will be explained using Figures 11 to 14.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the spatula 4 of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention in a horizontal position, Figure 12 is a perspective view of the spatula 4 of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention tilted so that it is in contact with the front stopper, and Figure 13 is a perspective view of the spatula 4 of the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention tilted vertically. Also, Figure 14 is a perspective view showing the spatula 4 of the shoehorn 1 standing upright on the back of the stopper. Note that the handle bar 6 has been omitted from each of Figures 11 to 14 so that the movement of the spatula 4 can be easily understood.

When the spatula 4 of the shoehorn 1 is in a horizontal position, the third arm 55 and the second arm 54 are in a position at a substantially right angle, and the first arm 53 is folded onto the second arm 54. In addition, the rear part 42 of the spatula comes into contact with the top stopper part 221, restricting the rear part 42 from moving downward (FIG. 11).

Next, when the front part 41 of the spatula 4 is pushed downward, the second arm 54 hits the front stopper part 222, preventing the spatula 4 from moving further downward (Figure 12). When the front part 41 is pushed further downward, the second joint 52 opens and the spatula 4 stands upright (Figure 13).

It is preferable that the spatula 4 is attached to the stopper portion 22 so that when the spatula 4 is upright, the height from the tip of the spatula 4 to the floor surface is 2 to 4 cm, more preferably 2.5 to 3.5 cm. If the tip of the spatula 4 is less than 2 cm from the floor surface, it will hit the inner sole surface of the shoe 7, which is not preferable. On the other hand, if the tip of the spatula 4 is more than 4 cm from the floor surface, the heel insertion portion 43 of the spatula 4 will not enter sufficiently into the heel of the shoe 7, making it difficult to slide the heel of the foot 8 into the shoe 7, which is not preferable.

Moreover, if the spatula 4 is attached to the stopper portion 22 so that the height from the tip of the spatula 4 to the floor surface can be adjusted, the height from the tip of the spatula 4 to the floor surface can be adjusted according to the thickness of the heel of the shoe 7, which is more preferable.

On the other hand, the height of the spatula 4 from the floor when it is held horizontally is preferably 10 to 15 cm. When the spatula 4 is held horizontally and foot 8 is placed on it, the lower the position of the spatula 4, the less effort required to lift foot 8, which is preferable, but if the height is less than 10 cm, it will be lower than the heel of shoe 7 and the spatula 4 will not be able to fit into the opening of shoe 7. Also, if the height of the spatula 4 from the floor is 15 cm or more, it will require a lot of effort to lift foot 8, which is not preferable.

In addition, if the spatula 4 is attached to the stopper portion 22 so that it can stand upright along the back surface of the stopper portion 22, it is possible to stand the spatula 4 upright along the back surface of the stopper portion 22, and use the shoehorn 1 to hold the shoe 7 and pull out the foot 8 when taking off the shoe 7 (FIG. 14). To stand the spatula 4 upright along the back surface of the stopper portion 22, for example, the second joint 52 can be positioned at the top end of the front surface of the stopper portion 22.

Next, the handle bar 6 will be explained using Figures 15 and 16.

Figure 15 is a perspective view of the upper part of the handle bar 6 of the shoehorn 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 16 is a perspective view of the loop-shaped body 64a built into the handle loop 64 of the shoehorn 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The handle bar 6 consists of a handle bar body 61, a grip 62, a handle string 63, a handle loop 64, and a loop-shaped body 64a.

The handle bar body 61 is a rod-shaped body approximately 70 to 100 cm long, with its lower end attached to the handle bar attachment part 224 of the base 2. It is preferable for the lower end of the handle bar body 61 to be bent, as this prevents the handle bar body 61 from interfering with the spatula 4. The handle bar 6 may extend vertically, but it is preferable for it to extend at an angle of 0 to 10 degrees forward, allowing the user of the shoehorn 1 to easily grip the handle bar 6.

The handle bar 6 is preferably lightweight, since the user of the shoehorn 1 grasps the handle bar 6 to move the shoehorn 1. On the other hand, the handle bar body 61 must have the strength to withstand grasping the handle bar 6 to move the shoehorn 1, and may be made of, for example, an aluminum alloy, stainless steel, wood, or resin. Also, if sufficient strength is obtained, a hollow cylindrical body is preferable, as it is lighter than a solid body.

The handle bar body 61 is provided with a grip 62 that is held by the user of the shoehorn 1, extending from the top end of the handle bar body 61 to a position approximately one-third of the way up. The grip 62 is preferably made of a material that will not slip when held by the user, such as urethane, resin, rubber, etc.

The handle string 63 is a strip-shaped string made of natural or synthetic fabric. The upper end of the handle string 63 is attached to the upper end of the grip 62, and the lower end of the handle string 63 is attached to a position below the approximate center or to the lower end of the grip 62. The handle string 63 allows the user of the shoehorn 1 to easily move the shoehorn 1 back and forth and left and right simply by hooking their hand onto the handle string 63. It is also preferable that there is enough slack between the handle string 63 and the grip 62 so that the user can easily insert their hand when grasping the grip 62.

A loop-shaped handle loop 64 made of a band-like string is attached to the upper end of the handle bar 6. A loop-shaped body 64a is built into the handle loop 64 to maintain the loop shape of the handle loop 64. The loop-shaped body 64a can be any material that allows the handle loop 64 to maintain its loop shape so that it is easy to insert your hand into it, and can be, for example, a band-shaped body made of resin or metal. Also, if the handle loop 64 itself can maintain its loop shape, it does not need to have the loop-shaped body 64a built in.

Next, we will explain how to put on shoes 7 using the shoehorn 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 17 is a schematic diagram showing the first step of using the shoehorn 1 of an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 18 is a schematic diagram showing the second step, Figure 19 is a schematic diagram showing the third step, and Figure 20 is a schematic diagram showing the fourth step. Note that Figures 17 to 20 show an example of putting on a shoe 7 on a right foot using the shoehorn 1.

To put on a shoe 7 using the shoehorn 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, first, the spatula rear part 42 is brought into contact with the top surface of the stopper part 22, and the spatula 4 is made horizontal to the floor (FIG. 11). Next, the shoe 7 is pushed into the shoe fitting part 23 from above, and the shoe 7 is fitted into the shoe fitting part 23 and fixed. After these advance preparations, the foot 8 is placed on the spatula 4 (FIG. 17). Then, the upper limb applies a force forward from the back of the knee, and the second joint 52 is rotated downward until the first joint 51 and/or the second arm 54 hits the front stopper part 222 (FIG. 18). Then, the tip of the heel insertion part 43 is inserted into the opening of the shoe 7. Next, the upper limb pushes the upper part of the knee toward the direction of gravity, and the toe is inserted into the opening of the shoe 7 while the foot 8 slides on the top surface of the spatula 4 (FIG. 19). After placing the toes in the opening of the shoe 7, the upper limbs push further above the knees in the direction of gravity. This causes the first joint 51 to rotate, the first arm 53 and the spatula 4 to open from the second arm 54, the spatula 4 to stand upright, and the heel is pushed into the shoe 7 (Figure 20).

Then, grasp the grip 62 of the handle bar 6 with your hand or hook your hand onto the handle string 63 or handle loop 64, pull the shoehorn 1 upward, and remove the spatula 4 from the gap between the shoe 7 and the heel of the foot 8. Then, remove the shoe 7 from the shoe fitting section 23.

The present invention has been described above using an embodiment, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiment. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiment. It is clear from the claims that forms incorporating such modifications or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

The shoehorn 1 of the present invention can provide a shoehorn 1 that can easily help people with disabilities in their lower limbs, such as those with spinal cord injuries, to put on shoes 7 by inserting their toes into the opening of the shoe 7 and then assisting them in putting on their heels. The shoehorn 1 can also be used by able-bodied people to easily put on shoes 7.

1: Shoehorn 2: Base 21: Base lower part 211: Front base part 211a: Right front base part 211b: Left front base part 22: Rear base part 22a: Right rear base part 22b: Left rear base part 23: Shoe fitting part 24: Elastic body attachment part 241a: Right elastic body attachment part 241b: Left elastic body attachment part 25: Bottom hole 22: Stopper part 221: Top stopper 222: Front stopper 223: Two joint attachment part 224: Handle bar attachment part 224a: Right handle bar attachment part 224b: Left handle bar attachment part 3: Elastic body 4: Spatula 41: Spatula front part 42: Spatula rear part 43: Heel insertion part 45: Two-joint stopper part 5: Two-joint 51: First joint 52: Second joint 53: First arm 54: Second arm 55: Third arm 56: Base attachment part 6: Handle bar 61: Handle bar main body 62: Grip 63: Handle string 63a: Upper attachment part 63b: String 63c: Lower attachment part 64: Handle loop 64a: Loop-shaped body 7: Shoe 8: Foot

Claims (12)

A shoe horn for use by a person with a lower limb disability,
a base having a front base portion having a shoe fitting portion at the front for fitting and gripping a shoe, and a rear base portion extending rearward from the front base portion, a stopper portion provided above the lower base portion, a two-joint mounting portion located on the front surface of the upper portion of the stopper portion, and a front stopper portion located on the front surface of the stopper portion at a position lower than the top of the stopper portion;
a bi-joint having a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, a first joint, and a second joint;
a spatula having a substantially U-shaped cross section perpendicular to the extension direction, the spatula being attached to an upper surface of the first arm and restricted from rotating backward by a back surface of the spatula contacting an apex stopper portion located at the apex of the stopper portion;
A handle bar attached to a side surface of the stopper portion and extending upward,
One end of the second arm is rotatably attached to one end of the first arm with the first joint as a rotation axis, and the other end of the second arm is rotatably attached to one end of the third arm with the second joint as a rotation axis, and the first joint and the second joint work together to move the spatula from horizontal to vertical with respect to a floor surface. The shoehorn according to claim 1, characterized in that the front part of the spatula, located forward of approximately the center of the spatula, is narrower than the rear part of the spatula, which extends rearward of the front part of the spatula. The shoehorn according to claim 2, characterized in that the tip of the front part of the spatula has a heel insertion part that is inclined from the extension surface of the spatula toward the back surface. The shoehorn according to claim 3, characterized in that it has a grip located at the top of the handle bar, a strap-like handle cord attached at both ends to the lower and upper ends of the grip, and a handle loop attached to the upper end of the handle bar. The shoehorn according to claim 4, characterized in that the front base portion has an elastic body on the inside. The shoehorn according to claim 5, characterized in that the spatula can stand upright with its underside in contact with the back surface of the stopper portion. The shoehorn according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a grip located at the top of the handle bar, a strap-shaped handle cord attached at both ends to the lower and upper ends of the grip, and a handle loop attached to the upper end of the handle bar. The shoehorn according to claim 7, characterized in that the front base part has an elastic body on the inside. The shoehorn according to claim 8, characterized in that the spatula can stand upright with its underside in contact with the back surface of the stopper. The shoehorn according to claim 1, characterized in that the front base part has an elastic body on the inside. The shoehorn according to claim 10, characterized in that the spatula can stand upright with its back surface in contact with the back surface of the stopper portion. 2. The shoe horn according to claim 1, wherein the spatula can stand upright with a back surface of the spatula in contact with a back surface of the stopper portion.

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