JP2009254580A - Wheelchair and its safety unit against overturning - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a wheelchair body from overturning due to its forward tilting and also a function to rest a foot on a foot support from being limited even if the user puts its weight on the foot support because of a human error. <P>SOLUTION: A foot support sensor 16 detects a load loaded on the foot support 14. A safety means against overturning 17 prevents the wheelchair body 11 from overturning due to its forward tilting of a wheel based on a result detected on the foot support sensor 16. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention prevents a wheelchair from overturning when the vehicle body is tilted toward the front side of the wheel in a wheelchair having a foot support that is provided at the lower part of the vehicle body in front of the wheel and on which a rider of the vehicle body can place a foot. The present invention relates to a wheelchair and a fall prevention unit for a wheelchair attached to the wheelchair.

  Conventionally, as a wheelchair, a wheelchair having a foot support that is provided in a lower part of a vehicle body in front of a wheel and on which a passenger on the vehicle body can place a foot is used. In such a wheelchair, when the occupant in the wheelchair is still seated on the seat while the wheelchair is stopped or moving, the occupant rests with his / her foot on the foot support. Can be made.

  However, if a passenger on a wheelchair tries to get out of the wheelchair and puts his weight on the foot support, he / she will be loaded downward on the foot support. Become. For this reason, the center of gravity of the entire wheelchair and the occupant moves to the front side of the vehicle body, and the balance of force balance tends to be lost, and the vehicle body may tilt to the front side of the wheel and the wheelchair may fall. On the other hand, if a passenger who wants to board a wheelchair puts his / her weight on the foot support during boarding, the load is applied downward on the foot support and the center of gravity of the wheelchair is It moves to the front side, and the balance of force balance is easily lost. For this reason, similarly to the case of getting off from the wheelchair described above, there is a possibility that the wheelchair may tip over due to the vehicle body tilting toward the front side of the wheel. On the other hand, as a wheelchair having a configuration capable of preventing a forward fall when a load is applied to the foot support, those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3 are known.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration of a wheelchair that is intended to allow a passenger in a wheelchair to perform an operation of raising and lowering a footrest (foot support) without taking an excessive leaning posture. . In this wheelchair, the footrest is connected to the pipe frame of the vehicle body so that it can be moved up and down by an elevating link mechanism, and the elevating operation of the elevating link mechanism is performed by operating the operation lever by the passenger. Yes.

  Further, in Patent Document 2, a footrest having a footrest plate on which a foot is placed and an elevating means for raising and lowering the plate for the purpose of reducing labor of a passenger and an assistant and improving safety when getting on and off. A configuration of a wheelchair provided with (foot support) is disclosed. In this wheelchair, an elevator or a rider having a gear mechanism and a screw mechanism is driven by an assistant or a passenger to rotate the handle, and the lifting / lowering operation is performed.

  Patent Document 3 discloses a configuration of a wheelchair provided with lifting means for lifting and lowering a footrest (foot support) for the purpose of preventing the vehicle body from becoming unstable when getting on and off the wheelchair. . In this wheelchair, the attachment portion of the footrest to the vehicle body is attached to be slidable up and down, and the attachment portion is connected to the rod of the electric cylinder constituting the lifting means. The electric cylinder is driven based on the operation of the footrest switch by the passenger. In addition, in patent document 3, the structure by the spring which urges | biases and supports a footrest by weak spring force toward the upper direction as a raising / lowering means to raise / lower a footrest is also disclosed.

JP 2002-219147 A (page 3-4, FIG. 1-6) Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-52601 (page 3-5, FIG. 1-3) JP-A-9-94270 (page 2-3, FIG. 1)

  In the wheelchairs disclosed in Patent Literature 1 to Patent Literature 3, in order to raise and lower the foot support, a passenger or an assistant operates a lever, a handle, or a switch to drive a mechanism for raising and lowering the foot support. There is a need. However, if the passenger puts weight on the foot support while getting on or off the wheelchair without operating the lever, the balance of force balance on the wheelchair is lost, and the vehicle body is moved forward of the wheel. There is a risk that the wheelchair may tip over and fall. In particular, for passengers who can get in and out of wheelchairs by their own power and have a high degree of independence, they can get on and off relatively quickly. There is a possibility that the above-mentioned falls are likely to occur due to the weight of the passenger being applied to the vehicle.

  Further, in a normal wheelchair, for convenience when getting on and off, the foot support is rotated and moved to a position where it does not interfere with the foot (see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 3). For this reason, in the case of a passenger whose degree of independence is high to some extent, the operation of moving the foot support to a position where it does not interfere with the foot can be performed relatively easily without the operation of the lever as described above. By carrying out this operation without forgetting, it is possible to avoid a wheelchair falling. Therefore, in the case of such a passenger, it is particularly important to be able to prevent the wheelchair from falling forward due to the weight of the passenger being put on the foot support due to human error.

  In Patent Document 3, a wheelchair including a foot support lifting / lowering means using a spring is disclosed. However, according to this wheelchair, since the position of the foot support is difficult to stabilize when the foot is rested on the foot support, the original function of the foot support for sufficiently resting the foot is restricted. On the other hand, in this wheelchair, it is necessary to increase the spring force in order to suppress the restriction of the function of resting the foot by the foot support, but in this case, the smooth lifting operation of the foot support is impaired. Therefore, it becomes difficult to prevent the vehicle body from falling due to the forward tilt.

  In view of the above circumstances, the present invention can prevent the vehicle body from falling due to the vehicle body leaning forward, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support due to the passenger's human error. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheelchair and a wheelchair fall prevention unit attached to a wheelchair in which the function of resting a foot is also prevented or suppressed from being restricted.

  A wheelchair according to a first aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object is provided at a lower portion of the vehicle body, a wheel attached to the vehicle body and moving on a ground plane, and in front of the wheel. A wheelchair having a foot support on which a passenger can place a foot, a foot support sensor for detecting a load applied to the foot support, and a detection result of the load detected by the foot support sensor And a fall prevention means for preventing the vehicle body from falling due to tilting toward the front side of the wheel.

According to the present invention, the load applied to the foot support is detected by the foot support sensor. For this reason, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support due to the human error of the passenger on the vehicle body (including both the passenger who is on the vehicle body and the passenger who is about to board the vehicle body) The foot support sensor can detect a load on the foot support due to a human error. Thereby, a state in which the wheelchair may fall down due to the vehicle body tilting toward the front side of the wheel is detected. And based on this detection result, the fall prevention means prevents the wheelchair from tipping forward. Further, since the position of the foot support is stable at least until the fall prevention means starts operating, the function of resting the foot on the foot support is maintained. In addition, the threshold value at the time of detecting a load with a foot support sensor can be suitably set according to the weight conditions etc. of a wheelchair. In addition, the fall prevention means includes a device having an operation device that operates so as to be displaced with respect to the vehicle body, or a device that operates to urge a passenger by lighting a light or transmitting an alarm sound. Means that operate to prevent falls, such as those of construction, can be widely used.
Therefore, according to the present invention, even when the weight of the occupant is applied to the foot support due to the human error of the occupant, the vehicle body can be prevented from falling due to tilting forward, and the foot on the foot support is rested. It is possible to provide a wheelchair in which the function is also prevented or suppressed from being restricted.

  The wheelchair according to a second aspect of the invention is the wheelchair according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the tipping prevention means has an operation part that performs a displacement operation in which at least a part is displaced with respect to the vehicle body. By performing the forward tilt restricting mechanism for restricting the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body that the vehicle body is tilted forward of the wheel, and the detection result of the load detected by the foot support sensor, the operating unit is And a control device that controls the forward tilt restricting mechanism so as to perform a displacement operation.

  According to the present invention, the control device controls the forward tilt restricting mechanism based on the detection result of the foot support sensor, whereby the displacement operation by the operating portion of the forward tilt restricting mechanism is performed, and the forward tilt operation of the vehicle body is restricted. The For this reason, the structure of the wheelchair including the foot support sensor, the forward tilt regulating mechanism, and the control device causes the vehicle body to lean forward even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support due to the passenger's human error. Falling can be prevented.

  A wheelchair according to a third invention is characterized in that, in the wheelchair according to the second invention, the operation portion performs the displacement operation so as to protrude downward in front of the wheel with respect to the vehicle body.

  According to the present invention, when a load is detected by the foot support sensor, the forward tilt restricting mechanism is controlled by the control device, and the operation portion is displaced so as to protrude downward in front of the wheel. Thereby, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support due to the human error of the passenger, the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body is restricted by the operation part protruding downward, and the wheelchair is prevented from tipping forward. .

  A wheelchair according to a fourth invention is the wheelchair according to the third invention, wherein the operating portion performs the displacement operation to protrude downward from the foot support toward the lower side of the foot support, and the wheel contacts the ground. It abuts on the ground.

  According to the present invention, the load applied to the foot support can be efficiently supported under the foot support by the operation portion having a simple configuration of protruding so as to protrude from the foot support and contacting the grounding surface. Thereby, the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body can be restricted to prevent the wheelchair from falling forward.

  The wheelchair according to a fifth aspect of the invention is the wheelchair according to the third aspect of the invention, wherein the operating part is mounted with the foot support on the protruding tip side and performs the displacement operation so as to protrude downward together with the foot support. The foot support is brought into contact with a ground contact surface on which the wheel contacts the ground.

  According to the present invention, the foot support is attached to the tip, protrudes together with the foot support and abuts against the grounding surface, so that the load applied to the foot support is directly applied to the grounding surface. It can be contacted and supported efficiently. Thereby, the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body can be restricted to prevent the wheelchair from falling forward.

  The wheelchair according to a sixth aspect is the wheelchair according to the second aspect, wherein the forward tilt restricting mechanism is formed as a link mechanism in which an end on one end side is rotatably attached to the vehicle body, A link drive unit that is fixed to the vehicle body and has an end on the other end side of the link mechanism, and drives the link mechanism so that the end on the other end side moves in a linear direction; The link driving unit drives the link mechanism to perform the displacement operation, whereby the vehicle body is urged in a direction opposite to a direction in which the vehicle body tilts forward of the wheel. To do.

  According to the present invention, when a load is detected by the foot support sensor, the control device controls the link driving unit to drive the link mechanism. Then, the other end of the link mechanism is driven so as to move along the linear direction, and accordingly, the end of the link mechanism that is rotatably attached to the vehicle body moves the vehicle body at the attachment position. Energize in the direction opposite to the forward tilting direction. This link mechanism displacement operation restores the balance of force balance by returning the center of gravity of the wheelchair that was going to move forward of the vehicle body to restore the balance of force balance, and the displacement by the link mechanism to cancel the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body Operation will be performed. Thereby, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support due to the human error of the passenger, the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body is restricted by the link mechanism, and the wheelchair is prevented from falling forward.

  The wheelchair according to a seventh aspect is the wheelchair according to the sixth aspect, wherein the link mechanism is attached to the vehicle body on the rear side and the upper side from the center of gravity of the wheelchair with respect to the vehicle body. The displacement operation is performed by driving the link mechanism so that the driving unit biases the end on the one end side downward.

  According to the present invention, the end portion on one end side of the link mechanism is attached to the rear side and the upper side of the center of gravity of the wheelchair with respect to the vehicle body and biased downward. For this reason, the vehicle body is biased via the link mechanism in the direction opposite to the forward tilting operation direction on the opposite side of the wheelchair through the center of gravity with respect to the foot support that is loaded by the human error of the passenger. Become. Thereby, the regulation of the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body by the link mechanism can be efficiently realized.

  A wheelchair according to an eighth aspect is the wheelchair according to the second aspect, wherein the operating portion is formed as a contact member that is displaced with respect to the vehicle body in a direction in contact with the wheel, and the displacement operation is performed to perform the contact. The forward leaning action of the vehicle body is restricted by a contact member coming into contact with the wheel.

  According to the present invention, when a load is detected by the foot support sensor, the forward tilt restricting mechanism is controlled by the control device, the abutting member is displaced so as to abut the wheel, and the wheel is braked. become. Thus, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support due to the human error of the passenger, the wheel is braked by the abutting member that contacts the wheel and the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body is regulated, and the front side of the wheelchair is controlled. Is prevented from falling.

  A wheelchair according to a ninth aspect is the wheelchair according to the eighth aspect, wherein the forward tilt restricting mechanism is configured such that the contact member rotatably attached to the vehicle body and the contact member abut on the wheel. And a rotation drive unit that rotationally drives the contact member.

  According to the present invention, the structure in which the abutting member is driven to rotate and abuts against the wheel can be demonstrated with a simple and reliable braking force, thereby efficiently regulating the forward tilting of the vehicle body and preventing the wheelchair from tipping forward. can do.

  A wheelchair fall prevention unit according to a tenth aspect of the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is provided with a vehicle body, a wheel attached to the vehicle body and moving on a ground plane, and a front portion of the wheel at a lower portion of the vehicle body. A wheelchair tipping that is mounted on a wheelchair that is provided and has a foot support on which a rider of the vehicle body can place a foot, and prevents the wheelchair from tipping over when the vehicle body is tilted forward of the wheel. And a foot support sensor that detects a load applied to the foot support, and an operation unit that performs a displacement operation in which at least a part is displaced with respect to the vehicle body, and the operation unit is the displacement operation. , The vehicle body tilts toward the front side of the wheel, and the vehicle body tilts forward, and the load detection detected by the foot support sensor. Based on, wherein the operation portion is provided with a control device for controlling the front 傾規 system mechanism to perform the displacement operation.

  According to this invention, the same effects as those of the first invention and the second invention can be achieved by attaching the wheelchair fall prevention unit of the present invention to the wheelchair. In other words, when the wheelchair fall prevention unit of the present invention is attached to the wheelchair, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support due to the human error of the rider, the fall due to the vehicle body tilting forward In addition, the function of resting the foot in the foot support is also restricted or prevented from being restricted. And according to this invention, a structure can be easily changed into the wheelchair provided with the function which prevents the fall to the front side by attaching the fall prevention unit for wheelchairs with respect to the existing wheelchair.

  The wheelchair overturn prevention unit according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention is the wheelchair overturn prevention unit according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, wherein the operation portion performs the displacement operation so as to protrude downward in front of the wheel with respect to the vehicle body. It is characterized by performing.

  According to this invention, by attaching the fall prevention unit to the wheelchair, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support due to the passenger's human error, the vehicle body leans forward by the operation part protruding downward. The configuration can be easily changed to a wheelchair having a function of regulating and preventing the wheelchair from tipping forward.

  According to the wheelchair and the wheelchair fall prevention unit of the present invention, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support due to the passenger's human error, it is possible to prevent the vehicle body from falling due to tilting forward. The function of resting the foot by the foot support can be avoided or suppressed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The wheelchair and the wheelchair overturn prevention unit according to the embodiment of the present invention are provided at the lower part of the vehicle body on the front side of the vehicle body, the wheel attached to the vehicle body and moving on the ground plane, The present invention can be widely applied to a wheelchair having a foot support on which a passenger on the vehicle body can place his / her foot. In the following description, the direction in which the foot support is disposed with respect to the position of the vehicle body and the direction in which the front of the passenger seated on the seat seat of the vehicle body faces will be described as the front. In addition, the “ground plane” refers to a floor surface, a road surface, or the ground on which a wheel of a wheelchair is grounded indoors and outdoors regardless of the ground or underground. The “wheel” corresponds to any wheel attached to the vehicle body to move on the ground plane. The “wheel” includes a drive wheel that generates a propulsive force against the ground plane, and a drive wheel. On the other hand, an auxiliary wheel as a front wheel or a rear wheel disposed forward or backward is also included.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a side surface of a wheelchair 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the wheelchair 1 includes a vehicle body 11, driving wheels 12 and front wheels 13 provided as wheels for moving on the ground plane 100, a foot support 14, and a tipping prevention unit (wheelchair tipping prevention unit) 15. And so on. In the present embodiment, a manual wheelchair 1 in which the driving wheels 12 are driven by a passenger (not shown) manually operating manually or by an assistant (not shown) manually pushing. However, the present embodiment is not limited to this example, and the present embodiment can also be applied to an electric wheelchair in which driving wheels are driven by a motor. Further, the present embodiment can be applied even to a hand-held wheelchair in which front wheels and rear wheels as auxiliary wheels are not provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle body 11 includes a main body frame 11a, a seat 11b, a handle 11c, and the like. The main body frame 11a is formed by combining steel pipe materials. A seat 11b for the passenger to sit on and a handle 11c for the assistant to perform a manual push operation are attached to the main body frame 11a.

  A pair of drive wheels 12 shown in FIG. 1 are provided and arranged on both sides of the vehicle body 11 in the front-rear direction (the forward direction of the vehicle body 11 is indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 1). The drive wheel 12 is rotatably attached to the main body frame 11a of the vehicle body 11, and is driven by a manual operation of a passenger seated on the seat seat 11b, thereby generating a propulsive force for the ground plane 100. It is configured. A pair of front wheels 13 are provided, arranged on both sides of the vehicle body 11 in the front-rear direction (hereinafter simply referred to as “both sides of the vehicle body 11”), and are rotatably attached to the vehicle body 11. As shown in FIG. 1, it is provided as a wheel having a smaller diameter than the drive wheel 12 and is disposed in front of the drive wheel 12. This front wheel 13 is also in contact with the grounding surface 100 to which the driving wheel 12 is grounded, and is configured to rotate by frictional force from the grounding surface 100 when the wheelchair 1 is moved by the rotation of the driving wheel 12. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, the foot support 14 is provided in the lower part of the vehicle body 11 in front of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13, and is disposed at a position where a passenger on the vehicle body 11 can place his / her feet. The foot support 14 includes a pair of flat members disposed on both sides of the vehicle body 11. In the foot support 14 in the state shown in FIG. 1, both of the pair of flat members are disposed so as to be located on a plane substantially parallel to the ground plane 100. The pair of flat plate members can be rotated with respect to the vehicle body 11 when the engaged state with the vehicle body 11 is released by a manual operation by a passenger or the like, so that the members are flipped up to both sides (contacted). It is configured to be foldable (substantially perpendicular to the ground 100). In addition, in the wheelchair 1, even if the foot of the passenger is placed on the foot support 14 and the load is applied in a state where the foot support 14 is not flipped up and folded as described above, as described later, The tipping prevention unit 15 is configured to prevent the wheelchair 1 from tipping forward.

  The overturn prevention unit 15 is provided as a set of devices constituting a wheelchair overturn prevention unit that prevents the wheelchair 1 from overturning when the vehicle body 11 is tilted forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13, and is attached to the wheelchair 1. ing. That is, a wheelchair fall prevention unit 15 is attached to a wheelchair having the vehicle body 11, the drive wheel 12, and the foot support 14, thereby providing the vehicle body 11, the drive wheel 12, the foot support 14, and the fall prevention unit 15. A wheelchair 1 will be constructed. In addition, a pair of the fall prevention units 15 is provided in the present embodiment, and is disposed on both sides of the vehicle body 11. In this embodiment, the case where the wheelchair 1 is configured by separately mounting the wheelchair fall prevention unit 15 is described as an example. However, the wheelchair 1 is provided with the fall prevention unit 15 from the beginning. You can also

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the fall prevention unit 15 together with a part of the foot support 14 and the main body frame 11a, and includes a partial cross section. In FIG. 2, the foot support 14 and a part of the main body frame 11a are shown in a sectional view. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the fall prevention unit 15 is attached to a pipe frame 21 that is disposed so as to protrude obliquely downward on the front side of the vehicle body 11 and constitutes one member of the main body frame 11 a. It has been. The pipe frame 21 is provided so as to protrude from both sides of the vehicle body 11. Each of the pipe frames 21 is provided with each fall prevention unit 15 and a foot support 14 is attached to each tip side thereof. ing. The fall prevention unit 15 includes a foot support sensor 16 and a fall prevention means 17.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the foot support sensor 16 is disposed on the foot support 14 and is disposed so as to spread on the upper surface side of the foot support 14. And this foot support sensor 16 is provided as a pressure sensor which detects the load loaded on the foot support 14, for example, is comprised as a piezoelectric element. When a passenger on the wheelchair 1 places his / her foot on the upper surface of the foot support 14 and puts his / her weight on the foot support sensor 16, a voltage corresponding to the load is generated in the foot support sensor 16 which is a piezoelectric element. The load is detected. A thin sensor cover 20 for protection is provided on the upper surface side of the foot support sensor 16. The foot support sensor 16 is not limited to a piezoelectric element, and various pressure sensors can be used, and a conductive rubber sensor or the like can also be used.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the overturn prevention unit 15, but as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the overturn prevention means 17 includes an actuator 18, a control device 19, a battery 22, and a drive circuit. 23 etc. are comprised. As will be described later, the fall prevention means 17 is a means for preventing the fall due to the vehicle body 11 tilting forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13 based on the load detection result detected by the foot support sensor 16. It is configured.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the actuator 18 includes a rod 24, a permanent magnet 25, a coil spring 26, and an electromagnet 27.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the rod 24 is formed as a round bar member, and is attached to the pipe frame 21 of the vehicle body 11 via a coil spring 26 and the like which will be described later. Has been. One end of the rod 24 is disposed in the pipe frame 21, and the other end is disposed so as to protrude from the pipe frame 21. And the other end side of the rod 24 is arrange | positioned in the state which penetrated the through-hole formed in the foot support 14 and protruded below. Further, a contact leg portion 28 formed in a flat plate shape is provided at the tip of the other end of the rod 24 so as to be able to contact the ground contact surface 100. The rod 24 is provided with a locking portion 29 that locks with the lower surface side of the foot support 14 in a midway portion that projects downward from the foot support 14. Displacement of the rod 24 that is displaced until the contact amount of the rod 24 is brought into contact with the ground contact surface 100 by restricting the amount of the rod 24 that enters the pipe frame 21 by providing the locking portion 29 on the rod 24. An amount (a stroke amount of the rod 24 in the pipe frame 21) is defined.

  The permanent magnet 25 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe frame 21, is disposed in the pipe frame 21, and is fixed to an end portion on one end side of the rod 24. The diameter of the cylindrical permanent magnet 25 is set to be larger than the diameter of the rod 24 as a round bar member. And the permanent magnet 25 is arrange | positioned so that the reciprocation inside the pipe frame 21 with the rod 24 is possible.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the coil spring 26 is arranged in the pipe frame 21 along the internal space of the pipe frame 21 and also in the longitudinal direction of the rod 24. The coil spring 26 is disposed around the rod 24 (that is, the rod 24 is disposed so as to penetrate the center of the coil spring 26). The end of one end of the coil spring 26 is in contact with the lower surface of the permanent magnet 25 having a diameter larger than that of the rod 24, while the end of the other end of the coil spring 26 is attached to the pipe frame 21. In contact with the member that holds the electromagnet 27. By arranging the coil spring 26 and the like in this way, the permanent magnet 25 and the rod 24 are configured to be urged away from the electromagnet 27 by the spring force of the coil spring 26.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the electromagnet 27 is attached to the lower end side of the pipe frame 21 in the pipe frame 21. And the rod 24 is arrange | positioned so that the center of the electromagnet 27 may be penetrated. As shown in FIG. 4, the electromagnet 27 is configured to be supplied with current from the battery 22 and to be energized when the drive circuit 23 is operated based on a command from the control device 19 described later. When the electromagnet 27 is energized and excited, the permanent magnet 25 is attracted against the spring force of the coil spring 26, and the permanent magnet 25 and the rod 24 move in the pipe frame 21. By moving the rod 24 in this way, the rod 24 protrudes from the foot support 14 toward the lower side of the foot support 14 as shown in FIG. 3 which is a side view for explaining the operation of the fall prevention unit 15. Protrusively. As a result, the contact leg portion 28 at the tip of the rod 24 contacts the ground contact surface 100, and the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 in which the vehicle body 11 tilts forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13 is restricted.

  In the present embodiment, the rod 24 is attached to the vehicle body 11 and constitutes an operation unit that performs a displacement operation that displaces the vehicle body 11 so as to protrude downward in front of the drive wheels 12 with respect to the vehicle body 11. The actuator 18 constitutes a forward tilt restricting mechanism of the present embodiment that restricts the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 by the rod (operation unit) 24 performing a displacement operation.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the control device 19 is attached to the lower end side of the pipe frame 21 and is disposed in the vicinity of the foot support 14. Although not shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the battery 22 and the drive circuit 23 are also attached to the pipe frame 21 and arranged side by side with the control device 19. As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 19 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 30, a memory 31, an interface circuit (I / F circuit) 32, and the like, and includes a foot support sensor 16 and a drive circuit. 23.

  In the control device 19, a load detection result as a voltage signal detected by the foot support sensor 16 is input, and this load detection signal is converted from an analog signal to a digital signal in the interface circuit 32 and processed by the CPU 30. . The memory 31 stores a program for performing processing as the control device 19 that controls the actuator 18, and is read and executed by the CPU 30. Then, in the control device 19, it is determined whether or not the load detected by the foot support sensor 16 exceeds the predetermined threshold stored in the memory 31 by the processing of the CPU 30. In this case, a drive command signal for the actuator 18 is output to the drive circuit 23. By operating the drive circuit 23 based on the drive command signal, the current from the battery 22 is supplied to the electromagnet 27 of the actuator 18 and the electromagnet 27 is excited. As described above, the control device 19 performs the actuator (tilt forward) so as to perform the above-described displacement operation in which the rod (operation unit) 24 protrudes downward based on the detection result of the load detected by the foot support sensor 16. The control mechanism) 18 is configured to be controlled.

  Next, the operation of the wheelchair 1 described above will be described. In the wheelchair 1 shown in FIG. 1, the overturn prevention unit 15 is operated, so that the overturn of the wheelchair 1 due to the vehicle body 11 tilting forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13 is prevented.

  First, when the occupant is not in the wheelchair 1, the contact leg 28 at the tip of the rod 24 is maintained in a state of not contacting the ground contact surface 100 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 ( In FIG. 1, the rod 24 in this state is indicated by a solid line). At this time, if the occupant tries to get on the wheelchair 1 with his / her foot placed on the foot support 14 with his / her foot placed on the foot support 14 while the foot support 14 is not folded (bounced up) and remains horizontal, As indicated by an arrow B in FIG. 1, a load is applied to the foot support 14 downward.

  When a load is applied to the foot support 14, the foot support sensor 16 detects this load. When the control device 19 determines that the detected load exceeds the aforementioned predetermined threshold value, a drive command signal for the actuator 18 is output from the control device 19 to the drive circuit 23 (see FIG. 4). Then, the drive circuit 23 is activated, the current of the battery 22 is supplied to the electromagnet 27, and the electromagnet 27 is excited. As a result, the permanent magnet 25 is attracted to the electromagnet 27, and as shown in FIG. 3, a displacement operation is performed so that the rod 24 protrudes below the foot support 14 against the spring force of the coil spring 26. 24 comes into contact with the ground contact surface 100 at the contact leg 28. For this reason, even if the passenger puts his / her weight on the foot support 14, the rod 24 functions like a stick, and the wheelchair 1 falls due to the vehicle body 11 tilting forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13. Will be prevented. In FIG. 1, a state in which the rod 24 is in contact with the ground contact surface 100 and the wheelchair 1 is prevented from falling is shown by a broken line.

  When the movement of the passenger on the wheelchair 1 is completed and the load applied to the foot support 14 is no longer present or significantly reduced, the load detected by the foot support sensor 16 becomes a predetermined threshold value or less. The control device 19 determines that the drive command signal for the actuator 18 is released. As a result, the drive circuit 23 is activated, the energization to the electromagnet 27 is cut off, and the excitation state of the electromagnet 27 is also released. As a result, the attractive force does not act between the permanent magnet 25 and the electromagnet 27, and the rod 24 is biased in the direction in which it is housed in the pipe frame 21 by the spring force of the coil spring 26, so that the contact leg portion 28 comes into contact. It will be separated from the ground 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the movement of the rod 24 by the spring force of the coil spring 26 stops at a position where the locking portion 29 is locked with the lower surface side of the foot support 14.

  On the other hand, if a passenger on the wheelchair 1 tries to get off the wheelchair 1 by placing his / her weight on the foot support 14 while the foot support 14 is in a horizontal state, he / she tries to get on the wheelchair 1. As in the case, a load is applied to the foot support 14 as shown by an arrow B in FIG. Also at this time, the load is detected by the foot support sensor 16. Then, similarly to the above-described case where the occupant tried to board with the foot support 14 put on the weight, the actuator 18 is controlled by the control device 19 so that the rod 24 protrudes below the foot support 14. Is done. Thereby, the wheelchair 1 is prevented from falling forward. In addition, when the movement of the passenger from the wheelchair 1 is completed and the load applied to the foot support 14 is no longer present, the actuator 18 is controlled by the control device 19, and the rod 24 is separated from the grounding surface 100 and is piped. The position returns toward the direction in which the frame 21 is stored.

  Here, the processing in the control device 19 at the time of the operation of the fall prevention unit 15 described above will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. When the process shown in FIG. 5 (operation of the control device 19) is started, first, in step S101, whether or not a load is detected by the foot support sensor 16, that is, a load detection signal from the foot support sensor 16. It is determined whether or not there is an input. Step S101 is repeated until it is determined that a load is detected. If it is determined that a load is detected (step S101, Yes), it is determined whether or not the detected load exceeds a predetermined threshold (step S102). Until it is determined that the detected load exceeds the threshold value, the process of step S102 is repeated.

  If it is determined that the detected load exceeds the threshold (step S102, Yes), a drive command signal for the actuator 18 is output (step S103), and the actuator 18 is driven. The state where the actuator 18 is driven (the state where the rod 24 protrudes downward) is maintained until the detected load becomes equal to or less than the threshold value (step S104). When it is determined that the detected load is equal to or less than the threshold value (step S104, Yes), the drive command signal for the actuator 18 is released (step S105), and the rod 24 is moved in the direction in which it is housed in the pipe frame 21. Will return. In the control device 19, the process shown in FIG. 5 is repeated when the power is on.

  FIG. 6 is a side view showing the wheelchair 101 that is not provided with the fall prevention unit 15. Components similar to those of the wheelchair 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals in FIG. In the wheelchair 101 not provided with the fall prevention unit 15, when the passenger's feet are placed on the foot support 14 and a load is applied, the balance of force balance in the wheelchair 1 is lost, and FIG. There is a possibility that the wheelchair 1 may fall over from the state shown in FIG. 6 to the state shown in FIG. On the other hand, according to the wheelchair 1 of the present embodiment, as described above, the fall prevention unit 15 is operated, so that the wheelchair 1 falls due to the vehicle body 11 tilting forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13. Will be prevented.

  According to the wheelchair 1 described above, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support 14 due to the human error of the passenger, the load can be detected by the foot support sensor 16. As a result, a state in which the wheelchair 1 may fall over due to the vehicle body 11 tilting forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13 is detected. And based on this detection result, the fall prevention means 17 prevents the wheelchair 1 from tipping forward. In addition, since the foot support 14 itself does not move up and down, the position of the foot support 14 is stable, and the function of resting the foot on the foot support 14 is maintained.

  Therefore, according to the wheelchair 1, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support 14 due to the human error of the passenger, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from falling forward and to have a function of resting the foot on the foot support 14. The restriction is also avoided.

  Further, according to the wheelchair 1, a load applied to the foot support 14 is provided below the foot support 14 by a rod (operation unit) 24 having a simple configuration that protrudes so as to protrude from the foot support 14 and abuts against the ground surface 100. The wheelchair 1 can be supported efficiently, and the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 can be restricted to prevent the wheelchair 1 from tipping forward.

  Moreover, according to the wheelchair fall prevention unit 15, the same effect as that of the wheelchair 1 described above can be obtained by being attached to the wheelchair. And according to the fall prevention unit 15 for wheelchairs, a structure can be easily changed into the wheelchair 1 provided with the function which prevents the fall to the front side by attaching with respect to the existing wheelchair.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, the wheelchair 2 which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. In the following description, a configuration different from the first embodiment will be described, and description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a side surface of the wheelchair 2, and FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a control configuration in the wheelchair 2. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the wheelchair 2 includes a vehicle body 11, a drive wheel 12, a front wheel 13, a foot support 14, a foot support sensor 16, and a fall prevention means 41. In the wheelchair 2, the vehicle body 11, the driving wheel 12, the front wheel 13, the foot support 14, and the foot support sensor 16 are configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Is different. The present embodiment can be applied not only to the manual wheelchair 2 but also to an electric wheelchair. Further, the present embodiment can be applied even to a hand-held wheelchair in which front wheels and rear wheels as auxiliary wheels are not provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the fall prevention means 41 includes an actuator 42, an air source device 43, a control device 49, a drive circuit 50, a battery 22, and the like. As will be described later, the fall prevention means 41 is a means for preventing the fall due to the vehicle body 11 leaning forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13 based on the load detection result detected by the foot support sensor 16. It is configured.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the actuator 42 includes a cylinder 47 and a rod 48, and the rod 48 is disposed in the cylinder 47 so as to be reciprocally movable. The cylinder 47 is attached to the main body frame 11 a of the vehicle body 11 so as to extend obliquely downward in front of the vehicle body 11. The cylinder 47 is partitioned into a first pressure chamber 47a and a second pressure chamber 47b by the end of the rod 48 (see FIG. 8). Then, the compressed air from the air source device 43 is supplied to the first pressure chamber 47a of the cylinder 47, whereby the rod 48 is urged in a direction protruding downward from the cylinder 47, and the position indicated by the broken line in FIG. Move to. On the other hand, the compressed air is discharged from the first pressure chamber 47a of the cylinder 47 and the compressed air from the air source device 43 is supplied to the second pressure chamber 47b, whereby the rod 48 is stored in the cylinder 47 ( (The direction of retraction) is moved toward the position indicated by the solid line in FIG.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the foot support 14 is attached to the rod 48 on the protruding tip side. The rod 48 is displaced by a compressed air supplied to the first pressure chamber 47 a of the cylinder 47 so as to protrude downward together with the foot support 14. It is comprised so that it may contact | abut. As a result, the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 in which the vehicle body 11 tilts forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13 is restricted.

  In the present embodiment, the rod 48 is attached to the vehicle body 11 and constitutes an operation unit that performs a displacement operation that displaces the vehicle body 11 so as to protrude downward in front of the driving wheel 12 with respect to the vehicle body 11. The actuator 42 constitutes a forward tilt restricting mechanism of the present embodiment that restricts the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 by the rod (operation unit) 48 performing a displacement operation.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the air source device 43 is installed with respect to the vehicle body 11, and includes an electromagnetic valve unit 44, a tank 45, a compressor 46, and the like. The air source device 43 constitutes a compressed air supply path for supplying compressed air from the compressor 46 to the cylinder 47 through the tank 45 and the electromagnetic valve unit 44. In the air source device 43, first, compressed air is generated by the operation of the compressor 46, and this compressed air is supplied to the tank 45 and stored. A switching operation (opening / closing operation) of a plurality of solenoid valves in the solenoid valve unit 44 is performed based on a command from the control device 49 described later, and the first pressure chamber 47a and the second pressure chamber 47b of the cylinder 47 to the cylinder 47 are performed. The supply and discharge of compressed air to and from are controlled.

  The control device 49, the battery 22, and the drive circuit 50 shown in FIG. 8 are attached to the vehicle body 11 and are arranged side by side with the air source device 43 although not shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the control device 49 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 30, a memory 31, an interface circuit (I / F circuit) 32, and the like, like the control device 19 of the first embodiment. The foot support sensor 16 and the drive circuit 50 are configured.

  In the control device 49, based on the load detection result detected by the foot support sensor 16, a process for making the same determination as in the control device 19 of the first embodiment is performed, and the rod 48 performs the above-described displacement operation. Thus, a drive command signal for controlling the actuator 42 is output.

  In this control device 49, if it is determined that the load detected by the foot support sensor 16 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a drive command signal for causing the rod 48 to protrude in the actuator 42 is output to the drive circuit 50. Then, in the solenoid valve unit 44, each electromagnetic wave is supplied so that the compressed air from the tank 45 is supplied to the first pressure chamber 47a of the cylinder 47 and the compressed air supplied to the second pressure chamber 47b is discharged. The valve is switched. In this manner, the control device 49 performs the displacement operation in which the rod (operation unit) 48 protrudes downward based on the detection result of the load detected by the foot support sensor 16. Is configured to control.

  On the other hand, when the control device 49 determines that the load detected by the foot support sensor 16 is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value, a drive command signal for causing the rod 48 to retract is output to the drive circuit 50 by the actuator 42. Then, in the electromagnetic valve unit 44, the compressed air from the tank 45 is supplied to the second pressure chamber 47b of the cylinder 47 and the compressed air supplied to the first pressure chamber 47a is discharged. The valve is switched. As a result, the actuator 42 is controlled so that the rod 48 is retracted into the cylinder 47.

  In the wheelchair 2 described above, when a passenger tries to board the wheelchair 2 or gets out of the wheelchair 2, the foot support sensor 16 is placed on the foot support 14 and his / her weight is applied. The load is detected at. When the control device 49 determines that the detected load exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the actuator 42 is controlled via the air source device 43 as described above, and the rod 48 together with the foot support 14 is controlled. Projects downward. As a result, the foot support 14 comes into contact with the ground contact surface 100, and the wheelchair 2 is prevented from being overturned when the vehicle body 11 is tilted forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13. Further, when the control device 49 determines that the load detected by the foot support sensor 16 is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value, the actuator 42 is controlled so that the foot support 14 is separated from the ground plane 100. Will be moved.

  According to the wheelchair 2 described above, even when the weight of the occupant is applied to the foot support 14 due to the human error of the occupant, the load is detected by the foot support sensor 16, and the fall prevention means is based on the detection result. 41 prevents the wheelchair 2 from falling forward. In addition, the position of the foot support 14 is maintained in a stable state until a state where there is a possibility of falling is detected by the foot support sensor 16. Therefore, according to the wheelchair 2, even when the weight of the occupant is applied to the foot support 14 due to the human error of the occupant, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from falling forward and to rest the foot on the foot support 14. It is also suppressed that the function is restricted.

  Further, according to the wheelchair 2, the load applied to the foot support 14 by the rod (operation unit) 48 having a simple configuration in which the foot support 14 is attached to the tip, protrudes together with the foot support 14, and contacts the grounding surface 100. The foot support 14 can be directly supported on the ground contact surface 100 and efficiently supported, and the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 can be restricted to prevent the wheelchair 2 from tipping forward.

(Third embodiment)
Next, the wheelchair 3 which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. In the following description, a configuration different from the first embodiment will be described, and description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate. In addition, the same components as those in the first embodiment are described using the same reference numerals. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a side surface of the wheelchair 3, and FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the wheelchair 3. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the wheelchair 3 includes a vehicle body 11, a drive wheel 12, a front wheel 13, a foot support 14, a foot support sensor 16, and a fall prevention means 51. In the wheelchair 3, the vehicle body 11, the driving wheel 12, the front wheel 13, the foot support 14, and the foot support sensor 16 are configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Is different. The present embodiment can be applied not only to the manual wheelchair 3 but also to an electric wheelchair. Further, the present embodiment can be applied even to a hand-held wheelchair in which front wheels and rear wheels as auxiliary wheels are not provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the fall prevention means 51 includes an actuator 52 and an air source device 43. Although not shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the overturn prevention means 51 is further provided with a control device 49, a drive circuit 50, and a battery 22. As will be described later, the fall prevention means 51 is a means for preventing the fall due to the vehicle body 11 tilting forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13 based on the load detection result detected by the foot support sensor 16. It is configured.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the actuator 52 includes a cylinder 53 and a link mechanism 54. The link mechanism 54 is configured by connecting a plurality of link members in series (FIG. 9 illustrates an example in which three link members are provided). The link mechanism 54 has one end 54 a rotatably attached to the body frame 11 a of the vehicle body 11 and the other end 54 b disposed in the cylinder 53. As shown in FIG. 9, the link mechanism 54 has an end 54a on one end side behind the center of gravity G of the wheelchair 3 with respect to the vehicle body 11 (a region indicated by a one-dot chain line and an arrow C in FIG. 9). And it is attached in the upper side (area | region shown with a dashed-dotted line and the arrow D in FIG. 9).

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the cylinder 53 is fixed to the vehicle body 11 so that the longitudinal direction is positioned horizontally, for example, and a link member on the other end side of the link mechanism 54 is inserted therein. Has been. An end portion 54b on the other end side of the link mechanism 54 is disposed in the cylinder 53 so as to freely reciprocate along the cylinder 53, and the end portion 54b on the other end side causes the inside of the cylinder 53 to be in the first pressure chamber. 53a and a second pressure chamber 53b.

  In the cylinder 53, when the compressed air from the air source device 43 is supplied to the first pressure chamber 53a, the end portion 54b on the other end side of the link mechanism 54 is urged toward the second pressure chamber 53b side, It moves from the position shown in FIG. 9 to the position shown in FIG. With this movement of the end portion 54b on the other end side, the urging force to the end portion 54b on the other end side is transmitted through each link member of the link mechanism 54, and the end portion 54a on the one end side is The body frame 11a of the vehicle body 11 is biased downward at the attachment position. In this way, the cylinder 53 constitutes a link drive unit that drives the link mechanism 54 so as to move the end portion 54b on the other end side along the linear direction and urge the end portion 54a on the one end side downward. ing. As described above, the cylinder 53 drives the link mechanism 54 to perform a displacement operation in which each link member of the link mechanism 54 is displaced with respect to the vehicle body 11, and the vehicle body 11 is directed downward by the end 54a on one end side. Thus, the vehicle body 11 is urged in a direction opposite to the direction in which the vehicle body 11 is tilted forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13.

  On the other hand, the compressed air is discharged from the first pressure chamber 53a and the compressed air from the air source device 43 is supplied to the second pressure chamber 53b, so that the end 54b on the other end side is directed to the first pressure chamber 53a side. The link member on the other end side in the link mechanism 54 moves so as to protrude from the cylinder 53. As a result, the link mechanism 54 is driven so as to change from the state shown in FIG. 10 to the state shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the link mechanism 54 is attached to the vehicle body 11 and constitutes an operation unit that performs a displacement operation in which each link member is displaced with respect to the vehicle body 11. The actuator 52 constitutes a forward tilt restricting mechanism of the present embodiment that restricts the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 by the link mechanism (operation unit) 54 performing a displacement operation.

  In the wheelchair 3 described above, when a passenger tries to get on the wheelchair 3 or gets off the wheelchair 3, when the foot is placed on the foot support 14 and his / her weight is applied, the foot support sensor 16 The load is detected at. When it is determined by the control device 49 (not shown) that the detected load exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the actuator 52 is controlled via the air source device 43, and the displacement operation by the link mechanism 54 is performed. Is done. That is, the end portion 54 b on the other end side of the link mechanism 54 moves to the second pressure chamber 53 b side in the cylinder 53, and the end portion on one end side is urged by the urging force transmitted through each link member of the link mechanism 54. 54a urges the vehicle body 11 downward. For this reason, the state of the wheelchair 3 is shifted from the state shown in FIG. 9 to the state shown in FIG. 10 so that the moment acting on the vehicle body 11 in the direction tilting forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13 is canceled. The mechanism 54 applies a moment to the vehicle body 11 in a direction opposite to the direction in which the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13 are inclined forward. As a result, the wheelchair 3 is prevented from falling due to the vehicle body 11 tilting forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13. When the control device 49 determines that the load detected by the foot support sensor 16 is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, the actuator 52 is controlled and the link mechanism 54 returns to the state shown in FIG. .

  According to the wheelchair 3 described above, even when the weight of the occupant is applied to the foot support 14 due to the human error of the occupant, the load is detected by the foot support sensor 16, and the fall prevention means is based on the detection result. 51 prevents the wheelchair 3 from tipping forward. Further, the position of the foot support 14 is maintained in a stable state. Therefore, according to the wheelchair 3, even when the weight of the occupant is applied to the foot support 14 due to the human error of the occupant, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from falling forward and to rest the foot on the foot support 14. It is also avoided that the function is restricted.

  Further, according to the wheelchair 3, when a load is detected by the foot support sensor 16, the end portion 54 b on the other end side of the link mechanism 54 is driven to move along the linear direction based on the control of the control device 49. Accordingly, the end portion 54a on one end side of the link mechanism 54 rotatably attached to the vehicle body 11 biases the vehicle body 11 in the direction opposite to the forward tilting operation direction at the attachment position. By the displacement operation of the link mechanism 54, the center of gravity of the wheelchair 3 that is about to move to the front side of the vehicle body 11 is displaced rearward to restore the balance of force balance, so that the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 is offset. A displacement operation by the link mechanism 54 is performed. Thereby, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support 14 due to the human error of the passenger, the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 is restricted by the link mechanism 54, and the wheelchair 3 is prevented from tipping forward. .

  Further, according to the wheelchair 3, the end 54 a on one end side of the link mechanism 54 is attached to the rear side and the upper side of the center of gravity G of the wheelchair 3 with respect to the vehicle body 11 and is biased downward. For this reason, the vehicle body 11 is attached via the link mechanism 54 in the direction opposite to the forward tilting operation direction on the opposite side of the foot support 14 through the center of gravity G of the wheelchair 3 with respect to the foot support 14 loaded by the human error of the passenger. Will be energized. Thereby, the regulation of the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 by the link mechanism 54 can be efficiently realized.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, the wheelchair 4 which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. In the following description, a configuration different from the first embodiment will be described, and description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate. In addition, the same components as those in the first embodiment are described using the same reference numerals. As shown in FIG. 11, which is a schematic view showing a side surface of the wheelchair 4, the wheelchair 4 is configured to include a vehicle body 11, a drive wheel 12, a front wheel 13, a foot support 14, a foot support sensor 16, and a fall prevention means 61. Yes. In the wheelchair 4, the vehicle body 11, the driving wheel 12, the front wheel 13, the foot support 14, and the foot support sensor 16 are configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Is different. In addition, about this embodiment, it can implement suitably in the manual wheelchair 4 instead of the electric wheelchair which an electromagnetic brake act | operates during a stop. Further, the present embodiment can be applied even to a hand-held wheelchair in which front wheels and rear wheels as auxiliary wheels are not provided.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the fall prevention means 61 includes an actuator 62, a control device 63, and the like. As will be described later, the fall prevention means 61 is a means for preventing the fall due to the vehicle body 11 tilting forward of the drive wheels 12 and the front wheels 13 based on the load detection result detected by the foot support sensor 16. It is configured.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the actuator 62 includes a contact member 64 and a rotation drive unit 65. The abutting member 64 has a rod-shaped portion 64a formed in a rod shape, and a contact end provided on one end of the rod-shaped portion 64a and formed with a brake surface that abuts against the drive wheel 12 to exert a braking force. Part 64b. The contact member 64 is rotatably attached to the main body frame 11a of the vehicle body 11 at a midway portion of the rod-like portion 64a.

  The rotation drive unit 65 is configured, for example, as a small motor, and the rod-like portion 64a of the contact member 64 is fixed to the output shaft thereof. Thereby, the rotation drive part 65 is comprised so that this contact member 64 may be rotationally driven so that the contact member 64 may contact | abut to the drive wheel 12 in the contact edge part 64b. As described above, when the abutting member 64 abuts on the driving wheel 12, a braking force is applied to the driving wheel 12 so that a large frictional force is generated between the driving wheel 12 and the ground contact surface 100. . Due to the frictional force between the drive wheel 12 and the ground contact surface 100, the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 in which the vehicle body 11 tilts forward of the drive wheel 12 and the front wheel 13 is restricted. In FIG. 11, the end of the output shaft of the motor is illustrated as a rotation drive unit 65.

  In the present embodiment, the contact member 64 is attached to the vehicle body 11 and constitutes an operation unit that performs a displacement operation that displaces the vehicle body 11 in the direction of contacting the drive wheel 12. In addition, the actuator 62 constitutes a forward tilt restricting mechanism of the present embodiment that restricts the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 by the displacement operation of the contact member (operating unit) 64.

  Although not shown, the control device 63 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 30, a memory 31, an interface circuit (I / F circuit) 32, and the like, as in the first embodiment. It is connected to the sensor 16 and the like. And in the control apparatus 63, the process which performs the same judgment as the control apparatus 19 of 1st Embodiment based on the detection result of the load detected by the foot support sensor 16 is performed, and the contact member 64 is the above-mentioned. A drive command signal for controlling the actuator 62 so as to perform the displacement operation is output.

  In the wheelchair 4 described above, when a passenger tries to get on the wheelchair 4 or gets off the wheelchair 4, when his / her foot is placed on the foot support 14 and his / her weight is applied, the foot support sensor 16 The load is detected at. When the controller 63 determines that the detected load exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the actuator 62 is controlled and rotated by the rotation drive unit 65 to perform the displacement operation of the contact member 64. Is called. As a result, the contact member 64 comes into contact with the drive wheel 12 at the contact end portion 64b to exert braking force, and the frictional force between the drive wheel 12 and the ground contact surface 100 increases, thereby driving the vehicle body 11. The wheelchair 4 is prevented from falling due to the forward tilt of the wheel 12 and the front wheel 13. Further, when the control device 63 determines that the load detected by the foot support sensor 16 is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold value, the actuator 62 is controlled so that the contact member 64 is separated from the drive wheel 12. The contact member 64 is rotationally driven.

  According to the wheelchair 4 described above, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support 14 due to the human error of the passenger, the load is detected by the foot support sensor 16, and the fall prevention means is based on the detection result. 61 prevents the wheelchair 4 from tipping forward. Further, the position of the foot support 14 is maintained in a stable state. Therefore, according to the wheelchair 4, even when the weight of the occupant is applied to the foot support 14 due to the human error of the occupant, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from tipping forward and to rest the foot on the foot support 14. It is also avoided that the function is restricted.

  Moreover, according to the wheelchair 4, the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body 11 can be efficiently regulated by the configuration in which the abutting member 64 is rotationally driven and abuts against the driving wheel 12 so that the braking force can be exerted efficiently. Falling forward can be prevented.

(Modification)
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made as long as they are described in the claims. For example, the following modifications can be implemented.

(1) In the present embodiment, the fall prevention means has been described as having a configuration including an operation unit that operates so as to be displaced with respect to the vehicle body, but this need not be the case. The fall prevention means emits an alarm or a light or sound for notifying the passenger on the vehicle body as an alarm, and the alarm device issues an alarm based on a load detection result detected by the foot support sensor. It is also possible to implement a wheelchair characterized by comprising an alarm control device for controlling the alarm device. As the alarm device, for example, an alarm device that emits an alarm (warning) so as to urge a passenger to be warned by turning on a light, transmitting an alarm sound, or the like can be used. By means of the fall prevention means equipped with such an alarm device and alarm control device, even when the passenger's weight is applied to the foot support due to the passenger's human error, the load is detected by the foot support sensor, and this detection result is Based on this, an alarm is issued to the passenger. For this reason, the passenger can quickly take the action of removing the foot from the foot support so that the weight applied to the foot support is removed. Thereby, the fall of the wheelchair to the front side is prevented.

(2) The forward tilt restricting mechanism having an operation part that performs a displacement operation is not limited to the one in the present embodiment, and various forms can be selected. For example, the forward tilt restricting mechanism includes an operation portion formed as a weight member that performs a displacement operation so as to protrude toward the rear side with respect to the vehicle body. It is also possible to implement a wheelchair characterized in that the forward tilting movement of the vehicle body is restricted by moving to. In the case of this wheelchair, when a load is applied to the foot support, the load is detected by the foot support sensor, and based on the detection result, the operation unit as the weight member protrudes rearward by a predetermined control device. Thus, the forward tilt restricting mechanism is controlled, and the center of gravity of the wheelchair moves so as to shift backward, thereby restricting the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body. Thereby, the fall of the wheelchair to the front side is prevented.

(3) The fall prevention means in which the rod protrudes downward together with the foot support is not limited to the form described in the second embodiment, and for example, the fall prevention means according to the modification shown in FIG. Also good. In FIG. 12, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. The fall prevention means 71 shown in FIG. 12 includes an actuator 72 and a control device 73 that are forward tilt restricting mechanisms. The actuator 72 has a coil spring 75 attached to the pipe frame 21 at one end in the pipe frame 21, and an end on the other end of the coil spring 75 is attached to the pipe 72. A rod 74 that is urged inward and has a foot support 14 attached to the distal end side, and a stopper device 76 are provided.

  The stopper device 76 is driven based on a command from the control device 73, and when a load is detected by the foot support sensor 16, the stopper portion 76 a is formed so as to protrude sideways from the rod 74. The stopper member 76a to be locked is moved in the direction of retracting into the apparatus main body. Therefore, when a load is applied to the foot support 14 due to a human error, the locking of the stopper member 76a and the locking portion 74a is released based on the control by the control device 73, and as shown in FIG. The rod 74 which comprises a part will perform the displacement operation | movement which protrudes below with the foot support 14. FIG. As a result, the foot support 14 comes into contact with the ground contact surface 100, and the wheelchair including the tipping prevention means 71 is prevented from tipping forward. When the load applied to the foot support 14 disappears, the rod 74 returns to the position shown in FIG. 12 by the spring force in the pulling direction of the coil spring 75.

  Even if the wheelchair includes the fall prevention means 71 according to the above modification, the same effects as those of the second embodiment can be obtained. Note that the stopper member 76a may be configured to be rotationally driven from the viewpoint of reducing friction between the locking portion 74a and the stopper member 76a. Further, when the load applied to the foot support 14 is lost and the rod 74 returns to the state shown in FIG. 12 by the spring force of the coil spring 75, the locking portion 74a and the stopper member 76a are prevented from interfering with each other. From the viewpoint, the timing at which the stopper member 76a protrudes so as to be engageable with the engaging portion 74a may be adjusted as appropriate.

(4) The form of the control device is not limited to that described in the present embodiment, and may be realized by a relay circuit, for example.

(5) Although the wheelchair fall prevention unit has been described as having the configuration of the first embodiment, the wheelchair fall prevention unit having a configuration corresponding to the second embodiment to the fourth embodiment may be implemented. it can.

(6) As the forward tilt restricting mechanism, the form utilizing the electromagnet in the first embodiment, the form utilizing the compressed air in the second embodiment and the third embodiment have been described, but not limited to these embodiments, Various forms can be selected. For example, a form using an electric cylinder that operates by rotating a screw through a gear by a motor, or a form using a linear motor may be used.

(7) The operation part formed as the link mechanism is not limited to the form exemplified in the third embodiment, and various forms can be selected regarding the attachment position of the end part of the link mechanism and the arrangement configuration of the link members. it can.

(8) As an operation | movement part formed as a contact member, not only what was illustrated in 4th Embodiment but various forms, such as a form which moves along a linear direction, can be selected.

(9) A seating sensor that is disposed on a seat for seating a passenger on the vehicle body and detects a load applied to the seat is further provided, and the fall prevention means is configured to detect the load detected by the foot support sensor. Based on the detection result and the detection result of the load detected by the seating sensor, it is possible to implement a wheelchair characterized by preventing the vehicle body from toppling over when it leans forward of the wheel. In this case, the seating sensor can be constituted by, for example, a piezoelectric element or a conductive rubber sensor. In addition to the foot support sensor, a seating sensor is also provided, so that it is possible to detect whether the occupant is sitting on the seat, and the detection result of the load detected by the foot support sensor and the seating sensor The fall prevention means can be operated based on both of the detected load results. For example, when the load is not detected by the seating sensor and the load is detected by the foot support sensor, it may be determined that the possibility of falling is high and the fall prevention means may be operated. Thus, based on the detection results of both the foot support sensor and the seating sensor, the state in which the passenger is about to get on or off the wheelchair is judged more strictly and the fall prevention means is activated. be able to.

  It should be understood that the embodiment disclosed this time is illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined not by the above-mentioned meaning but by the scope of claims for patent, and is intended to include all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the scope of claims for patent.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the side surface of the wheelchair which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which expands and shows the fall prevention unit in the wheelchair shown in FIG. It is a side view for demonstrating the action | operation of the fall prevention unit shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the control structure of the fall prevention unit shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the process in the control apparatus in the fall prevention unit shown in FIG. It is a side view which shows the wheelchair which is not equipped with the fall prevention unit. It is a schematic diagram which shows the side surface of the wheelchair which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the control structure of the fall prevention unit in the wheelchair shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the side surface of the wheelchair which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view for demonstrating the action | operation of the wheelchair shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the side surface of the wheelchair which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the fall prevention means which concerns on a modification. It is a side view for demonstrating the action | operation of the fall prevention means shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Wheelchair 11 Car body 12 Drive wheel 14 Foot support 15 Fall prevention unit (Fall prevention unit for wheelchair)
16 Foot support sensor 17 Fall prevention means

Claims (11)

A vehicle body, a wheel that is attached to the vehicle body and moves on a ground plane, a foot support that is provided in a lower part of the vehicle body in front of the wheel, and on which a rider on the vehicle body can place a foot; A wheelchair with
A foot support sensor for detecting a load applied to the foot support;
Based on the detection result of the load detected by the foot support sensor, the fall prevention means for preventing the fall due to the vehicle body tilting to the front side of the wheel,
A wheelchair characterized by comprising: The wheelchair according to claim 1,
The fall prevention means is
At least a part has an operation part that performs a displacement operation that is displaced with respect to the vehicle body, and the operation unit performs the displacement operation, whereby the vehicle body tilts forward to the front side of the wheel. A forward tilt regulating mechanism to regulate,
Based on the detection result of the load detected by the foot support sensor, a control device that controls the forward tilt restricting mechanism so that the operation unit performs the displacement operation;
A wheelchair characterized by comprising: The wheelchair according to claim 2,
The wheelchair is characterized in that the operation portion performs the displacement operation so as to protrude downward in front of the wheel with respect to the vehicle body. The wheelchair according to claim 3,
The wheelchair is characterized in that the operation unit performs the displacement operation so as to protrude downward from the foot support toward the lower side of the foot support, and comes into contact with a ground contact surface on which the wheel contacts the ground. The wheelchair according to claim 3,
The operating part is attached to the foot support on the protruding tip side, performs the displacement operation so as to protrude downward together with the foot support, and abuts the foot support on a grounding surface on which the wheel contacts the ground. A wheelchair characterized by letting The wheelchair according to claim 2,
The forward tilt regulating mechanism is
The operating portion formed as a link mechanism in which an end on one end side is rotatably attached to the vehicle body;
A link drive unit that is fixed to the vehicle body and has an end on the other end side of the link mechanism, and drives the link mechanism so that the end on the other end side moves in a linear direction; ,
With
A wheelchair characterized in that the vehicle body is urged in a direction opposite to a direction in which the vehicle body tilts forward of the wheel by the link driving unit driving the link mechanism to perform the displacement operation. . The wheelchair according to claim 6,
The link mechanism has an end on the one end side attached to the vehicle body on the rear side and the upper side of the center of gravity of the wheelchair.
The wheelchair is characterized in that the displacement operation is performed by driving the link mechanism so that the link driving unit urges the end on the one end side downward. The wheelchair according to claim 2,
The operating portion is formed as a contact member that is displaced in a direction of contacting the wheel with respect to the vehicle body,
The wheelchair is characterized in that the forward tilting operation of the vehicle body is restricted by the displacement operation being performed and the contact member contacting the wheel. A wheelchair according to claim 8,
The forward tilt regulating mechanism is
The contact member that is rotatably attached to the vehicle body;
A rotation drive unit that rotationally drives the contact member such that the contact member contacts the wheel;
A wheelchair characterized by comprising: A vehicle body, a wheel that is attached to the vehicle body and moves on a ground plane, a foot support that is provided in a lower part of the vehicle body in front of the wheel, and on which a rider on the vehicle body can place a foot; A wheelchair overturn prevention unit for preventing the wheelchair from overturning when the vehicle body is tilted forward of the wheel.
A foot support sensor for detecting a load applied to the foot support;
At least a part has an operation part that performs a displacement operation that is displaced with respect to the vehicle body, and the operation unit performs the displacement operation, whereby the vehicle body tilts forward to the front side of the wheel. A forward tilt regulating mechanism to regulate,
Based on the detection result of the load detected by the foot support sensor, a control device that controls the forward tilt restricting mechanism so that the operation unit performs the displacement operation;
A wheelchair fall prevention unit characterized by comprising: The wheelchair overturn prevention unit according to claim 10,
The wheelchair overturn prevention unit, wherein the operation portion performs the displacement operation so as to protrude downward with respect to the vehicle body in front of the wheel.

Images