JPH0244741Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a wheelchair with an improved step portion.

[Conventional technology]

Wheelchairs are used by people with disabilities or illnesses who have difficulty walking, but the steps become a hindrance when the user goes up and down. Conventionally, wheelchairs have been commonly used in which a pair of left and right step portions are rotatably attached to the main body, and the step portions can be erected as needed.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, since the step is located far from the hands of the user (patient) who is seated, in order to rotate it, the user has to either bend down or ask someone else to help. Particularly when this is done by the user himself, it is often difficult and painful work.

[Means for solving problems]

In view of the above points, the inventor of the present invention conducted extensive research and realized that such problems could be eliminated by allowing the rotation of the step to be controlled remotely from the user's hand, and came up with the present invention. Ivy.
In other words, in a wheelchair having a pair of left and right steps whose free ends are vertically rotatably supported by the main body, at least one of the steps is
This wheelchair has a structure in which it is attached to a link mechanism that converts or transmits the back-and-forth or up-and-down movement of an operating section in the user's hand into vertical rotational movement of the step section.

A "step" is a place on a wheelchair where the feet are placed, and in the present invention, it refers to a type with a pair of left and right steps.

The term "operation section" refers to a lever, switch, etc. that operates the rotation of the step section, and does not limit its structure. However, considering the cost of the wheelchair itself, rather than having a structure with a power source and a button type operation part, it is preferable to use a lever or similar structure as in the embodiment described later. The names of positions such as left and right correspond to the front, back, left, and right as seen from the user when the user is sitting normally on the main body.

"Link mechanism" includes cam mechanism, friction transmission mechanism,
It is one of the motion transmission mechanisms along with the gear transmission mechanism.
Three or more rigid links are all connected with pins, or some of them are connected with slides, and the square links are combined so as to have limited movement on parallel planes. In the present invention, the movement of the operation part is in the front-back or up-down direction, and the movement of the step part is a rotational movement with its free end in the up-down direction. They are combined to allow limited movement on a plane. In this invention, the movement of the operation part is in the front-back or up-down direction, and the movement of the step part is a rotational movement with its free end in the up-down direction, so a lever is required to change the direction of movement and transmit it. .

〔Example〕

The present invention will be explained in more detail below based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a wheelchair 1 according to the present invention. An operating part 2 is provided near the armrest, and this part moves back and forth and has a connecting rod 3.
is connected to. The connecting rod 3 is connected to an L-shaped lever A4, and the bent portion of the lever A4 is pinned to a step attachment member 5 of the main body.
The lever A4 is further connected to the connecting rod 6 and then to an L-shaped lever B7 which rotates in a direction perpendicular to the plane of movement of each member up to now, and this is connected to the step part 8. There is.
Although the figure shows the view from the right side of the main body, a similar step rotation remote control mechanism is provided on the left side of the main body.

Such a structure has low friction loss and good transmission properties, and is simple in structure, so it can be lightweight and low cost, and does not require a power source.
It has the following advantages.

Although each member is exposed in this example, some or most of them may be covered with a cover for safety or to improve aesthetics.

FIGS. 2a and 2b schematically show the step rotation remote control mechanism, which is the essential part of the present invention. When the operating section 2 is placed at the rear, the step section 8
is in a position where the user's feet can be placed (a), and when the operation part 2 is slid forward, the step part 8 rotates and stands, and is in a position where it does not interfere with the user's ascent and descent. .

Although not shown, when the operating section 2 is located above the lever B7 position, the operating section 2 may move up and down instead of moving back and forth as shown. In that case, lever A4 etc. can be omitted.

The operating section 2 is adapted to move along a long hole 9 cut into a side plate 9 on the side surface of the seat. A stopper 10 for locking the operation part 2 in the open/closed position of the step part 8 is provided at the end of the elongated hole 9 as shown in the figure, by changing the shape of the elongated hole 9. This is not necessarily necessary, and other structures may also be used.

Furthermore, although the step attachment member 5 has been described as being fixedly attached to the main body, it is designed to be rotatably attached to the main body, and the leg is fixed with a cast, a splint, etc. This may be suitable for cases where there are

[Effect of idea]

As described above in detail, the wheelchair according to the present invention has a main body having a pair of left and right steps whose free ends are rotatably supported in the vertical direction. but,
It is characterized by being attached to a link mechanism that converts or transmits the back-and-forth or vertical movement of the operating unit in the user's hand into vertical rotational movement of the step. This is a very useful device that has the following advantages: the step, which used to be a hindrance, can be easily rotated while sitting on the seat, the structure is simple, and it can be provided at low cost.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing one embodiment of the wheelchair according to the present invention. FIGS. 2a and 2b are schematic perspective views showing essential parts of the present invention. 1...Wheelchair, 2...Operation unit, 3...Connecting rod,
4... Lever A, 5... Step mounting member, 6...
...Connecting rod, 7...Lever B, 8...Step part,
9... Long hole, 10... Stopper.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] 1. A wheelchair having a pair of left and right steps whose free ends are rotatably supported in the vertical direction on the main body, at least one of the steps being at the user's hand. 1. A wheelchair, characterized in that the wheelchair is attached to a link mechanism that converts or transmits the longitudinal or vertical movement of the operating part into the vertical rotational movement of the step part. 2. The wheelchair according to claim 1, wherein the operating section at the user's hand moves back and forth, and there are two levers forming the link mechanism. 3. The wheelchair according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the step mounting member having the step rotation fulcrum is rotatably attached to the main body.