JP2016067774A - Lumbar burden reducing tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lumbar burden reducing tool that automatically releases tension of tension transmission strings during upright walking to enable natural walking, and generates support moment to a lumbar part when stopping walking and starting a forward-bending work again.SOLUTION: In a lumbar burden reducing tool, a pair of swing arms (22a, 22b) is pivotally supported respectively in a center part of a frame (12) while having a gap interposed therebetween in the vertical direction. One of the upper and lower swing arms is set as a stopper arm (22b), which does not interfere in a case when the swing arms (22a, 22b) rotate in the same direction relative to each other, but interferes with the other swing arm (22a) when a body is bent forward to make the swing arms (22a, 22b) rotate in the opposite directions relative to each other, thereby preventing the swing arms (22a, 22b) from rotating in the opposite direction relative to each other. Further, when the body is made upright for walking, the interference is released so that the swing arms (22a, 22b) can be normally rotated or reversely rotated in the same direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a lower back burden reducing device.

  Nursing care is a big problem in an aging society, and it is known that the turnover rate is high in elderly care facilities because of back pain problems. Therefore, although welfare devices such as lifts and slide boards are also used, it is clear that these alone are not sufficient for solving the back pain problem because back pain is still a problem in the medical and welfare field. Most nursing and caregivers use back belts as a countermeasure for back pain, but the percentage of people who complain of back pain remains at a high level. Work with a heavy burden on the waist is not limited to medical welfare sites, but also exists in all industries such as industry, agriculture, fisheries, and distribution. Even though simple tasks can be replaced by robots, there are many operations that cannot be easily mechanized because they usually include a plurality of movements such as walking. Robots capable of complex movements such as nursing care are extremely difficult even with the current robot technology, and robots that can perform such operations are expensive and complicated even if they can be done. Complex work seems to have to rely on human hands for a while.

  As described above, there are a lot of work with a large burden on the waist, and many ideas on a waist burden reducing tool have been proposed. However, the only widely used belt belt is the back belt that wraps around the waist. Moreover, there is almost no scientific basis for the effect of reducing the lumbar burden.

  In recent years, there are inventions introduced in Patent Documents 1 to 4 developed by the present inventors as an invention for easily reducing the burden on the waist during trunk trunk bending. The essence of these inventions is a lumbar burden reducing device in which a back support frame attached to the back, the left and right sides of the back support portion of the back support frame, and both lower limbs are connected and attached by elastic bodies such as rubber belts. The elastic body is displaced along with the forward bending of the trunk, and the elastic force is used to obtain the auxiliary moment to the waist. This reduces the moment acting on the hip when bent forward by 20-30%.

  However, in order to put it to practical use, it was difficult to walk while wearing the brace, so it was necessary to solve this problem. In other words, the elastic body has a pair of left and right, and if one end of each elastic body is fixed to the lower limb, the elastic body is stretched even during walking, which makes it difficult to walk. For this reason, using the method of turning ON / OFF the tension of the elastic body with a buckle so far, the rubber tension applied to the foot on the swinging side is the pulling side in walking, and the rubber tension of the lower leg on the standing leg side is the relaxation side, We have proposed a method for connecting tension transmission straps and belts attached to both lower limbs, and have been aiming to develop an easy-to-walk waist load reduction device. However, each method has advantages and disadvantages, and has not been fully satisfactory.

Japanese Patent No. 4447330 Japanese Patent No. 5061401 JP 2013-022708 A JP 2013-252221 A

The present invention is the first technology in the world that has succeeded in wiping out all of the above-mentioned problems by a simple principle and achieving both a lower back burden reduction effect and ease of walking.
That is, the present invention has a basic function of preventing back pain by reducing the load on the waist during forward bending work by 20 to 30% by the restoring force of an elastic body interposed in the tension transmission string, and walking in an upright state. At times, the tension of the elastic body of the tension transmission string is automatically released to enable natural walking, and when the natural walking is stopped and the forward bending work is started again, the auxiliary moment to the waist is automatically generated. Provide a lower back burden relief tool.

  The present invention satisfies the above-mentioned problems, and a pair of swing arms is pivotally supported at the center of the frame with a space in the vertical direction, and one of the pair of swing arms serves as a stopper arm. Does not interfere when the rotation direction of the swing arm is relatively the same direction, but when the trunk swings forward, if the pair of upper and lower swing arms rotate in the opposite direction, the other swing Interference with the arm prevents the swinging arm from rotating in the opposite direction, and walking with the trunk standing upright cancels the anti-blocking state and causes each swinging arm to rotate in the same direction. The gist of the present invention is a lumbar burden reducing device characterized by enabling reversal.

Next, the effect of the waist | hip | lumbar part burden reduction tool of this invention is explained in full detail.
Before the lumbar burden reducing tool is attached to the trunk of the user, the tension of the elastic body of the tension transmission string is zero. The lumbar burden reducing tool is attached to an upright trunk. To attach to the trunk, the upper and left shoulders of the back support frame are hung on both shoulders, the belt of the waist is wrapped around the waist, and the pair of tension transmission cords with elastic bodies are lowered, the stopper arm Interferes with the other oscillating arm and is prevented from rotating in the opposite direction, and stabilizes with the outer tip of each of the pair of upper and lower oscillating arms slightly lowered. Next, lightly pulling the tension transmission cord to form a straight line and attaching the lower limb wearing tool connected to the tension transmission cord to both lower limbs.

  As a result, the swing arm is further lowered. When the trunk is bent forward from this state, the pair of upper and lower swing arms are prevented from rotating in the opposite directions. After that, the auxiliary moment due to the tension generated by the elastic body of the tension transmission string is extended. Reduce the burden on the waist.

  When returning from the forward bent state to the upright state, the swing arm is restored to the original C shape. When entering a natural walk from now on, for example, if it is moved forward from the left foot, the left spring and the left tension transmission string extend and the upper swing arm rotates counterclockwise. At the same time, the lower swing arm rotates to the left as the right tension transmission string is loosened and pulled up by the restoring force of the right spring.

  When the right foot is then moved forward from this state, the right spring and the right tension transmission string are extended, and the lower swing arm is rotated to the right. At the same time, the upper swing arm loosens the left tension transmission string and is pulled up by the restoring force of the left spring to rotate right. In this way, the automatic generation of the auxiliary moment to the waist and the natural walking by the automatic release thereof become possible.

It is the figure which looked at the waist | hip | lumbar part burden reduction tool by preferable embodiment of this invention from the back surface. It is a general view of a lower back burden reducing device, (a) is an explanatory view showing the state of the left foot left step during the natural walking, (b) is a left foot step of the left foot step of the left foot left step It is explanatory drawing which shows a state. It is the figure which looked at the state which mounted the mounting model of the lower back burden reduction tool of the present invention shown in Drawing 1 on the trunk of an upright state from the wearer's back. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state at the time of stepping from the right leg from the state of FIG. 3, and is the figure which looked at the state which is the same state as (a) of FIG. 2 from the wearer's back surface.

Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the invention will be described.
In FIG. 1, a lower back burden reducing device 10 according to the present embodiment includes a back support frame (shell) 12, shoulder straps 14 and 16 extending from an upper portion of the back support frame 12, tension transmission strings 18 and 20, and a back support frame. 12 and the tension transmission cords 18 and 20, and a lower limb attachment device 24 and 26.

  Referring further to FIG. 2, the back support frame 12 is made of a reinforced resin main body 12a that abuts along the back spine of the wearer's trunk, and a reinforced resin that abuts from the lumbar vertebra along the starch. And a waist pad 12b. The main body portion 12a and the waist pad portion 12b may be formed into an integrally molded type, or may be formed into a split type that is detachable in combination. The body portion 12a and the waist pad portion 12b are not particularly limited in shape, but the body portion 12a is formed in a shell shape as shown in FIG. It is preferable to make it the light weight type in which 12c is integrally arranged. The waist pad portion 12b may be any shape as long as it is slightly warped rearward and the connection mounting mechanism 22 with the tension transmission cords 18 and 20 can be installed. In addition, since the connection mounting mechanism 22 has a movable part on the waist pad 12b, it is safe to attach a cover that covers the entire connection mounting mechanism 22 to the waist pad 12b so that it can be opened and closed. Above preferred.

  The connection mounting mechanism 22 between the backrest frame 12 and the tension transmission cords 18 and 20 is a mechanism for automatically generating / releasing the auxiliary moment to the waist, and includes a pair of upper and lower swing arms 22a and 22b and a vertical swing arm 22a. , 22b is a simple structure comprising a pair of upper and lower rotary shafts 22c, 22d that pivotally support the waist support portion 12b of the back support frame 12, and metal springs 22e, 22f.

  The rotary shafts 22c and 22d are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction on the back surface of the waistrest portion 12b so that a gap δ is formed between the upper swing arm 22a and the lower swing arm 22b. In the present embodiment, the lower swing arm 22b is provided with a protrusion 21 as a stopper at the end (left end) that can contact the lower edge of the upper swing arm 22a. The protrusion 21 abuts against the lower edge of the upper swing arm 22a, thereby rotating the outer tip of the vertical swing arms 22a, 22b in the direction of lowering, that is, when viewed from the back of the wearer. The range of the rotational operation of the swing arm 22a in the counterclockwise direction and the lower swing arm 22b in the clockwise direction is limited. As a result, the tension transmission cords 18 and 20 are connected to the outer ends of the vertical swing arms 22a and 22b, and the vertical swing arms 22a and 22b can reciprocally swing (turn) at a predetermined rotation angle.

  The springs 22e and 22f connected to the swing arms 22a and 22b have one end fixed to the upper portion of the main body 12a of the backrest 12 and the other end connected to the outer end of the vertical swing arms 22a and 22b. The spring force is not limited as long as it has spring force and contraction amount that can automatically absorb the play amount of the tension transmission cords 18 and 20 along with the return rotational force of the swing arms 22a and 22b. Any natural rubber resin such as a flat belt shape or a square shape, a synthetic rubber resin, a coil spring, a curved plate spring, or the like that can be elastically deformed without being plastically deformed within the rotation range of the swing arm.

  The tension transmission cords 18 and 20 connected to the vertical swing arms 22a and 22b may be traction cords such as bar cords, flat cords, and square cords having an elastic body interposed in the middle. The elastic bodies of the tension transmission cords 18 and 20 are elastically deformed without being plastically deformed when bent forward, such as natural rubber resin, synthetic rubber resin, coil spring, curved plate spring, etc., such as rod, flat belt, and square. A predetermined auxiliary moment is applied to the waist, and it may be restored to its original shape when it is upright or unused. In this example, round cords 18a and 20a having upper ends connected to the other ends of the swing arms 22a and 22b, buckles 18b and 20b having lower ends of the round cords 18a and 20a, and upper ends to the buckles 18b and 20b. First flat belts 18c, 20c, the lengths of which are adjustable, and round rubber elastic bodies 18e, 20e, wherein the lower ends of the first flat belts 18c, 20c are tightly connected to the upper ring mounting portions 18d, 20d, The second flat belts 18g and 20g are tightly connected to the lower ring mounting portions 18f and 20f of the round rubber elastic bodies 18e and 20e.

  The lower limb attachment devices 24 and 26 connected to the tension transmission cords 18 and 20 are attached and connected to the knees, calves, ankles, etc. of the lower limbs directly or through clothes or shoes. Preferably, the connection with the shoe may be a hook type. This example is a calf part winding attachment type connected to the second flat belts 18g and 20g, the winding attachment body is a mesh cloth of chemical fiber, and the winding and release thereof are performed by hook-and-loop fasteners. Reinforcement pieces connected to the second flat belts 18g and 20g are sewn on the upper side of the calf, that is, on the back side of the knee. A supplementary band is sewed, and a footrest band is attached to the lower ends of both sides of the mesh cloth.

  As described above, when the reinforcing pieces connected to the second flat belts 18g and 20g of the tension transmission cords 18 and 20 are sewn to the upper side of the calf, that is, the back side of the knee, the tension transmission is performed even if the state below the knee is bent and stretched. Since the play lengths of the strings 18 and 20 can be held slightly, the auxiliary moment during forward bending is ensured, and the swinging arm rotates in the same direction during walking.

Next, a wearing example of the lower back burden reducing tool 10 according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 shows a state in which the back mounting frame 12 and the tension transmission cords 18 and 20 are connected to each other with the tension of the elastic bodies of the tension transmission cords 18 and 20 being 0 before the waist burden reducing device 10 is attached to the trunk. In this state, the protrusion 21 of the lower swing arm 22b comes into contact with the lower edge of the upper swing arm 22a, so that the vertical swing arms 22a and 22b rotate in the opposite directions from substantially horizontal to the inverted C shape. Shows a locked state. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower back burden reducing tool 10 is attached to the trunk in an upright state.

  To attach to the trunk, the shoulder belts on the upper and left sides of the back support frame 12 are hung on both shoulders of the trunk, the waist belt is wrapped around the waist of the trunk, and the lower limb attachment devices 24 and 26 are attached to both lower limbs. Thereafter, the lengths of the first flat belts 18c and 20c are adjusted by the buckles 18b and 20b of the pair of tension transmission cords 18 and 20 provided with elastic bodies, and the tension transmission cords 18 and 20 are lightly pulled to form a straight line. Then, the protrusion 21 of the lower swing arm 22b is brought into contact with the lower edge of the upper swing arm 22a. Thus, the pair of upper and lower swing arms 22a and 22b rotate in the opposite directions, that is, the upper swing arm 22a rotates in the counterclockwise direction and the lower swing as viewed from the back of the wearer. The arm 22b is prevented from rotating in the clockwise direction. When the trunk is bent forward from this state, the elastic bodies of the tension transmission cords 18 and 20 are stretched, and an auxiliary moment is generated in the waist due to the tension, thereby reducing the burden on the waist.

  Next, when a natural walk is entered from the state shown in FIG. 3, for example, when it comes out from the right foot, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the right spring 22f is extended and the lower swing arm 22b is watched as viewed from the back. Rotate around. At the same time, the left tension transmission string 18 is loosened and pulled up by the restoring force of the left spring 22e, and the upper swing arm 22a also rotates clockwise as viewed from the back. Next, when the left foot is moved forward from this state, as shown in FIG. 2B, the left spring 22e extends, and the upper swing arms 22a and 22b rotate counterclockwise as viewed from the back. At the same time, the right tension transmission string 20 is loosened and pulled up by the restoring force of the right spring 22f, and the lower swing arm 22b also rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the back.

  In this way, the lower back burden reducing tool 10 of the present example can freely generate an auxiliary moment to the lower back and naturally walk by automatically releasing it.

  The present invention, due to the above objects, configuration and effects, back pain of workers engaged in agriculture, fisheries industry, various manufacturing industries, distribution industry, nursing / nursing care medical field, etc., which have a heavy burden on the waist, It is a lumbar burden reducing device that can be expected as a revolutionary and practical device to prevent lower back fatigue, and it can be expected to be linked to the reduction of the working population and medical costs.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Lumbar part burden reduction tool 12 Frame 12a Main body part 12b Waist pad part 12c Mesh board 14 Shoulder band 16 Shoulder band 18 Tension string 18a Round string 18b Buckle 18c First flat belt 18d Upper ring mounting part 18e Round rubber elastic body 18f Bottom Ring mounting part 18g Second flat belt 20 Tension transmission string 20a Round string 20b Buckle 20c First flat belt 20d Upper ring mounting part 20e Round rubber elastic body 20f Lower ring mounting part 20g Second flat belt 22 Linking mounting mechanism 22a Upper swing arm 22b Lower swing arm 22c Upper rotation shaft 22d Lower rotation shaft 22e Left spring 22f Right spring 24 Lower limb mounting tool 26 Lower limb mounting tool

Claims (1)

  A pair of oscillating arms are pivotally supported at the center of the frame at an interval in the vertical direction, and one of the pair of oscillating arms is a stopper arm, and the rotation direction of the oscillating arm is relatively the same direction. If the pair of upper and lower swing arms rotate in the opposite direction when the trunk is bent forward, it interferes with the other swing arm and moves relative to the swing arm. Lumbar burden characterized by preventing the rotation in the reverse direction and walking with the trunk upright, releasing the anti-blocking state and allowing each swing arm to rotate forward and reverse in the same direction Mitigator.

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