JP4424556B2 - Elderly person experience simulator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an elderly experience simulator.

Various elderly simulated experience devices (also called instant seniors or senior simulators) have been proposed that allow healthy young people to experience the inconvenience associated with muscular weakness of the elderly. Many of the conventional elderly simulated experience devices are of the supporter type that gives resistance to joint movement (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2), and in order to simulate the inconvenience of walking, An orthosis that is shaped like a boot and fixes an ankle has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 3). Furthermore, there is also disclosed an apparatus in which an operation restriction unit is provided at a joint part of a close-contact suit that almost entirely covers the body and the restriction degree of the operation restriction unit is changed (see Patent Document 4). The specific structure of the limiting part is not disclosed.
Japanese Patent No. 2742045 Japanese Patent No. 2880948 JP-A-10-123828 JP-A-10-340039

  By the way, even if it is an elderly person, there is a considerable age range from those who are relatively young, such as 65 years old, to those over the age of 80, such as those over 80 years old, and the degree of decline in muscle strength etc. is considerably different It is. In addition, there is a considerable difference in muscle strength and the like among young people wearing elderly simulated experience devices. On the other hand, it is impossible for the conventional elderly experience simulator to appropriately obtain an elderly experience corresponding to a large age range, that is, a great difference in muscle strength.

  In addition, in the conventional elderly experience device, only a load is applied to the bending and stretching operations of bending and stretching, and no device that appropriately applies a load to torsional motion has been proposed. In other words, the arm is bent and extended at the elbow joint, and a considerably large torsional motion is performed at the forearm connected to the elbow joint. Conventionally, a load is applied to the torsional motion of the arm. No one has been proposed that can provide a simulated experience for the elderly.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the circumstances as described above, and its purpose is to provide a simulated experience device for the elderly that can load the torsional motion of the forearm in addition to the bending and stretching operations of the elbow joint. Is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the following solution is adopted in the present invention. That is, as described in claim 1 in the claims,
A first base member;
A second base member;
A first fixture for detachably fixing the first base member to the upper arm of the human body;
A second fixture for detachably fixing the second base member to the forearm of the human body;
A pair of left and right reciprocating torque dampers each including a cylinder portion and a rod portion that is slidable and rotatable with respect to the cylinder portion, and that generates a resistance force in response to sliding of the rod portion with respect to the cylinder portion;
First holding means for holding the pair of left and right cylinder parts spaced apart from each other and swingable with respect to the first base member via a universal joint;
Second holding means for holding the distal end portions of the pair of left and right rod portions so as to be swingable with respect to the second base member via a universal joint, spaced apart from each other;
It is supposed to be equipped with. A preferred mode based on the above solution is as described in claim 2 and the following claims.

  According to the first aspect, not only during the bending and stretching movements of the elbow joint, but also during the torsional movement of the forearm, the rod part is slid against the cylinder part to generate a resistance force. What is extremely suitable as a person's simulated experience equipment is provided. Further, since it is a damper, a resistance force is generated only when the arm is operated, and a resistance force is not generated unnecessarily when there is no operation. Furthermore, since the tip of the rod part does not inadvertently extend forward, that is, to the wrist side in response to the sliding of the rod part with respect to the cylinder part, there is also a situation where the rod part interferes with the movement of the wrist side. Is prevented.

According to the second aspect, a more specific holding method of the torque damper device by each holding means is provided.
According to claim 3, while making the resistance force generation direction in each cylinder part as simple as only one predetermined sliding direction, the resistance force is generated for sliding in both directions as a whole, Resistance can be applied to all movements of knee joint flexion and extension and forearm left and right torsion.
According to claim 4, by adjusting the resistance force of the torque damper, the elderly experience appropriately corresponding to the age difference of the elderly and the physical strength difference of the subject, that is, corresponding to the difference in arm muscle strength. Obtainable.

According to the fifth aspect, it is preferable to reliably return the tip end positions of the pair of left and right rod portions to the predetermined origin position when the bending position of the elbow joint and the torsion position of the forearm portion are at the predetermined reference position. It will be a thing.
According to the sixth aspect, it is possible to experience a decrease in grip strength accompanying aging using a spring.
According to the seventh aspect, it is preferable to prevent the cylinder portion from being inadvertently shifted in the direction of approaching the elbow joint.

  FIGS. 1 to 9 show a resistance-adjustable elderly simulated experience device for resistance to bending and stretching motions of joints, particularly knee joints, and FIG. 18 to FIG. 20 show the wearing state on the human body. . 1 and 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a first stay member, and 2 denotes a second stay member. Each of the stay members 1 and 2 is formed in an elongated rod shape, and has a large rigidity, for example, a metal such as an aluminum alloy or stainless steel or a hard synthetic resin, and is not easily bent and deformed. (In the embodiment, formed of a stainless steel channel material).

  The first stay member 1 has a length that is slightly shorter than the average length of an adult thigh (thigh). In addition, the second stay member 2 is slightly shorter than the average length of the lower knee (crus) of an adult, but considering that the length of the lower knee has a large individual difference, The length can be adjusted. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the second stay member 2 that is adjustable in length includes a first member 2A and a second member 2B that is slidably fitted and connected to the first member 2A. Have A lock mechanism 2C is provided to lock the first member 2A and the second member 2B at the desired length position. The locking mechanism 2C includes an engaging step 2a formed on the inner surface of the first member 2A at a predetermined pitch in the longitudinal direction, and an engagement / disengagement of the engaging step 1a held by the second member 2B. It has a pawl portion (not shown) and an operation portion 2b held by the second member 2B for engaging and disengaging the latching claw portion with the latching step portion 1a. The operation portion 2b can be slightly slid between the lock position and the unlock position, and when the operation portion 2b is set to the unlock position, the engagement of the engagement claw portion with the engagement step portion 2a is released. Thus, the length of the second stay member 2 can be adjusted (the first member 2A and the second member 2B are slidable), and the locking claw portion engages with the locking step portion 2a when the locking position is reached. Combined, the length of the second stay member 2 is fixed (the sliding movement between the second member 2A and the second member 2B is restricted). Commercially available products including the lock mechanism 2C can be used for the two members 2A and 2B that are adjusted in length as described above (for example, a trade name universal stop stay manufactured by TAKIGEN Mfg. Co., Ltd.).

  The ends of the first stay member 1 and the second stay member 2 are pivotably connected around a pin 3 (see FIG. 9) fixed by caulking. More specifically, an intermediate portion of a short intermediate stay member 4 is rotatably connected to one end portion (upper end portion) of the second stay member 2 via a pin 3, and each end portion of the intermediate stay member 4 is rotated. Is fixed to the end portion of the first stay member 1 by the screw 5 (the screw 5 is screwed into the screw hole 1a formed in the lower end portion of the first stay member 1).

  A first attachment shaft 6 is integrated with an end portion (upper end portion) of the second stay member 2 via a base member 7. The first mounting shaft 6 is set so as to be located on the same axis as the pin 3 that is the center of swinging of the stay members 1 and 2. 5, 6, and 9, the oscillation center is indicated by a one-dot chain line and denoted by α. Although the first mounting shaft 6 has an irregular cross section, in the embodiment, the first mounting shaft 6 has a slit 6a extending over the entire length in the axial direction so as to divide the shaft member having a circular cross section in the radial direction. Yes. On the other hand, the second mounting shaft 8 is integrated with the first stay member 1 at an eccentric position near the first mounting shaft 6. The second mounting shaft 8 is parallel to the first mounting shaft 6 and slightly longer than the first mounting shaft 6. Such a second mounting shaft 8 is substantially formed of a bolt member, and has a male screw portion 8a on the outer periphery thereof.

  A rotary torque damper main body 10 is detachably attached using both the attachment shafts 6 and 8. The torque damper main body 10 is generally disc-shaped, and includes an inner member 11 serving as a rotor, and an outer member 12 serving as a case member surrounding the inner member 11 leaving its central portion. Is filled with oil of a predetermined viscosity. In such a torque damper main body 10, when the inner member 11 and the outer member 12 are relatively rotated, a resistance force is generated by the viscosity of the oil. Note that the magnitude of the resistance force is determined by the viscosity of the oil, the size of the facing area between the members 11 and 12, and the size of the facing gap between the members 11 and 12. In the embodiment, as the torque damper main body 10, the torque resistance main body 10 is such that the generated resistance increases as the relative rotational speed between the inner member 11 and the outer member 12 increases. A thing with a fixed size (substantially constant) can also be used. In addition, a commercial item can be used for such a torque damper main body 10 (for example, a brand name disk damper made by Fuji Seiki Co., Ltd.).

  The inner member 11 of the torque damper main body 10 is formed with a first attachment hole 11a through which the first attachment shaft 6 can be inserted and removed. A mounting stay 13 is fixed to the outer member 12 with a screw 14, and a second mounting hole 13a through which the second mounting shaft 8 can be inserted and removed and a first mounting shaft 6 are inserted into the mounting stay 13. A through hole 13b to be inserted is formed. After the torque damper main body 10 is mounted on each of the mounting shafts 6 and 8, the second mounting shaft 8 is screwed with a lock nut 15 that constitutes a locking means to prevent the torque damper main body 10 from coming off from the mounting shafts 6 and 8. Is done. A cap nut 16 is screwed onto the tip of the second mounting shaft 8 to further prevent the torque damper body 10 from coming off from the mounting shafts 6 and 8, and to the tip of the mounting shaft 8. Rounded (prevents sharp parts from being exposed directly to the outside).

  When both the stay members 1 and 2 are swung around the pin 3 with the torque damper body 10 mounted on the both stay members 1 and 2 that are swingably connected to each other as described above. Think. At this time, since the outer member 12 is restricted from being rotated relative to the first stay member 1, the inner member 11 moves the pin 3 as the second stay member 2 swings relative to the first stay member 1. It will rotate relative to the outer member 12 around the (first mounting shaft 6), thereby generating a resistance force.

  The lengths of the mounting shafts 6 and 8 are set such that a plurality of torque damper bodies 10 (four in the embodiment) can be mounted simultaneously. Each of the mounting shafts 6 and 8 and the torque damper main body 10 and the like constitute a torque damper device that can manually change the magnitude of the resistance force. In other words, a plurality of (for example, four) torque damper bodies 10 having different resistances to each other are prepared in advance, and one to four (maximum number of installed) is selected and installed. The magnitude of the resistance can be changed within a large range. Specifically, as the torque damper main body 10, for example, assuming that the rotational speed is 20 revolutions per minute, a plurality of resistance force magnitudes of 20, 30, 50, and 70 kgf · cm are prepared. It is possible to select a resistance force of 20 to 210 kgf · cm step by step by combining 1 to 3 pieces.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, a bottom member 21 is provided at the other end of the second stay member 2, that is, at the lower end that is the end opposite to the connecting portion to the first stay member 1. Are connected by a fixture 22 such as a bolt or a nut (the connection may be either a rotatable connection or a non-rotatable connection). The bottom member 21 is formed to have sufficient rigidity by bending a metal plate or using synthetic resin. The bottom member 21 has a vertical wall portion 21a that extends in the vertical direction and has an upper end portion connected to the second stay member 2, and a bottom wall portion 21b that is bent and extends at a substantially right angle from the lower end of the vertical wall portion 21a. . The bottom wall portion 21b functions just like a shoe sole, and the sole of the subject is seated. And, in order to firmly fix the bottom member 21 to the subject's foot, the bottom member 21 has an adjustable fastening belt 23 (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 with reference to FIGS. 5, 18, and 20). Is not shown). As shown in FIG. 5, an anti-slip member 24 made of a rubber plate or the like is fixed to the upper surface and the lower surface of the bottom wall portion 21b of the bottom member.

  The first stay member 1 is detachably attached to the subject's crotch. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 1, the first stay member 1 is equipped with a first fixture 31. This first fixture is roughly composed of a sheet-like winding member 32 having a large width in the vertical direction and a pair of upper and lower tightening belts 33 having a narrow width that can be adjusted. The winding member 32 is integrated with one end engaging portion 32a of the Velcro fastener at one end thereof, and is integrated with the other end engaging portion 32b where the one engaging portion 32a is detachably engaged with the other end. It has become. In the state where the winding member 32 is wound around the outer circumference of the subject's thigh, the engagement state between the engaging portions 32a and 32b is maintained.

  When not in use, the tightening belt 33 is in a non-circular and elongated state, and is engaged by inserting a tongue 33b fixed to the other end into a buckle 33a fixed to one end thereof. It becomes a joint state. By engaging the tongue 33b with the buckle 33a in a state where the winding member 32 is wound around the subject's thigh, the belt 33 is adjusted so that its length (length in the annular state) is shortened. Tightening to the crotch part is performed (see FIGS. 18 to 20).

  In FIG. 1 again, the first stay member 1 is fixed to the winding member 32 over almost the entire length (for example, screw fixing, fixing using a separate lining member, etc.), but its lower end. The part is inserted into a pocket part 32c formed in the winding member 32 (see FIG. 3). In order to make the pocket portion 32c into a bag shape that is open only at the top, a lining member 32d is separately attached to the main body member of the winding member 32, and the lower end portion of the first stay member 1 is connected to the pocket. As shown in FIG. 9, the lining member 32 d is clamped together with the screws 5 while being sandwiched between the intermediate stay member 4 and the first stay member 1 as inserted in the portion 32 c. 5 and 6, the lining member 32d is not shown.

  As shown in particular detail in FIG. 2, a second fixture 35 is provided to fix the second stay member 2 to the lower knee. Similarly to the first fixing tool 32, the second fixing tool 35 is roughly divided into a sheet-like winding member 36 having a large width in the vertical direction, and a vertically adjustable vertical length. A pair of fastening belts 37 is included. One end engaging portion 36a of the Velcro fastener is integrated with one end of the winding member 36, and the other engaging portion 36b with which the one engaging portion 36a is detachably engaged with the other end is integrated. It has become. In a state where the winding member 36 is wound around the outer periphery of the lower part of the subject's knee, by engaging the engaging portions 36a and 36b, the state of being wound around the lower part of the knee is maintained.

  The fastening belt 37 has substantially the same structure as the fastening belt 33 described above, and is in a non-circular and elongated state when not in use, and a buckle 37a fixed to one end thereof is connected to the other end. By inserting the tongue 37b fixed to the ring, the ring is engaged. By engaging the tongue 37b with the buckle 37a in a state where the winding member 36 is wound around the lower part of the subject's knee, the belt 37 is adjusted so that its length (length in the annular state) is shortened. Tightening to the lower knee is performed (see FIGS. 18 to 20). In addition, in order to prevent downward sliding when worn by the subject, the upper end portion of the first stay member 1 is connected to the jacket member, which will be described later, as shown in FIG. The belt 18 is connected, and an engaging portion 19 that is detachably engaged with the engaging portion of the jacket member is provided at the tip of the connecting belt 18.

  Next, referring to FIGS. 10 to 16, an elderly simulated experience apparatus for giving resistance to bending and stretching movements of the elbow joint of the arm and torsion movement of the forearm will be described. First, 41 is a first base member, and 42 is a second base member. The first base member 41 is detachably attached to the upper arm portion by the first fixture 43. The second base member 42 is detachably attached to the forearm portion by the second fixture 44.

  Each of the base members 41 and 42 is formed in a plate shape so as to have a large rigidity with a metal or a hard synthetic resin. The first base member 41 is slightly curved in the left-right direction (arm-around direction) so that the first base member 41 is attached in close contact with the upper arm portion, and the second base member 42 is attached in close contact with the forearm portion. (See FIGS. 13 and 14).

  The first fixture 43 includes a sheet-like winding member 45 and a fastening belt 46 that can be adjusted in length. Similarly, the second fixture 44 is also composed of a sheet-like winding member 47 and a fastening belt 48 whose length can be adjusted. The winding members 45 and 47 are configured in substantially the same manner as the above-described winding members 32 and 36, and a first engagement portion for forming a Velcro fastener is indicated by reference numeral 45a or 47a, and the second The engaging portion is indicated by reference numeral 45b or 47b. Similarly, the tightening belts 46 and 48 are configured in substantially the same manner as the belts 33 and 37 described above, and the buckle thereof is indicated by reference numeral 46a or 48a, and the tongue is indicated by reference numeral 46b or 48b. The first base member 41 is attached to the first fixing member 43 and the second base member 42 is attached to the second fixing member 44, for example, screw fixing, fixing using a separate lining member, or the like. It can be done by an appropriate method.

  A pair of left and right reciprocating torque dampers 51L and 51R are installed across the base members 41 and 42. Each of the torque dampers 51L and 51R has a pair of front and rear cylinder parts 52 and 53, and a single rod part 54 that passes through the cylinder parts 52 and 53 so as to be slidable and rotatable. Resistive force is generated according to the sliding of the rod portion 54 with respect to the cylinder portions 52 and 53. The cylinder parts 52 and 53 generate a resistance force only when the rod part 54 slides in a predetermined direction, and are set so that the resistance force generation directions are opposite to each other. That is, for example, when the rod part 54 slides in the rearward direction, only the cylinder part 52 generates a resistance force, and when the rod part 54 slides in the forward direction, only the cylinder part 53 generates a resistance force. Yes. Adjustment dials 52 a and 53 a for manually adjusting the magnitude of the resistance force are provided at the ends of the cylinder portions 52 and 53. The pair of front and rear adjustment dials 52a and 53a are rotationally operated and are set to positions where the cylinder portions 52 and 53 are sandwiched between them, and the space around the adjustment dials 52a and 53a is opened as much as possible. It is supposed to be. Commercially available products can be used for the reciprocating type torque dampers 51L and 51R as described above (for example, a product name friction stay manufactured by TAKIGEN Mfg. Co., Ltd.).

  The cylinder portions 52 and 53 are connected to the first base member 41 so as to be swingable independently of each other via a universal joint. That is, a pair of left and right support shafts 55 are provided upright on the first base member 41 at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction, and a horizontal shaft 57 that extends short in the horizontal direction via a universal joint 56 at the upper end portion of the support shaft 55. Is held. The pair of left and right horizontal shafts 57 extend in opposite directions from each other. A mounting bracket 58 that extends long in the front-rear direction (longitudinal direction of the arm) is integrated with the tip of the horizontal shaft 57, and a pair of front and rear cylinder portions 52, 53 are integrated with the mounting bracket 58 by screws 59. It has become. Thereby, each cylinder part 52, 53 can be freely swung in an arbitrary direction by a universal joint 56 (swing with respect to a predetermined vertical plane, a horizontal plane, that is, an elbow bending direction and a forearm twisting direction, respectively). freely). The universal joint 56 is similar to other universal joints described later, regardless of its name, such as a universal joint, a spherical joint, and the like. The structure is not particularly limited as long as it can swing in the bending direction and the torsional direction of the forearm.

  Attachment of the pair of left and right rod portions 54 to the second base member 42 is also performed via a universal joint. That is, one common support shaft 61 is erected at a substantially middle portion in the left-right direction of the second base member 42, and the upper end portion of the common support shaft 61 is interposed in the left-right direction via the central universal joint 62. A substantially intermediate portion of the extending holding shaft 63 is held so as to be swingable. The end portions of the left and right rod portions 54 are swingably connected to the left and right end portions of the holding shaft 63 via end-side universal joints 64.

  In FIG. 10, a glove attached to the subject's hand is indicated by reference numeral 71. The glove 71 is shortened so that its five finger cover parts 71a to 71e cover up to the vicinity of the first joint of the finger but do not cover the previous part. The finger portions 71a to 71e are formed with mounting holes 72a to 72e for spring mounting. Of the mounting holes 72a to 72e, except for the thumb mounting hole 72e, the four mounting holes 72a to 72d for the little finger, ring finger, middle finger, and index finger and the holding shaft 63 are coil springs. 73 are connected independently. More specifically, the spring 73 connected to the attachment holes 72 a and 72 b for the little finger and the ring finger is connected to the left side portion (the little finger side portion) of the holding shaft 63 with respect to the central universal joint 62. Yes. In addition, the spring 73 connected to the attachment holes 72 c and 72 d for the middle finger and the index finger is connected to the right side portion (thumb side portion) of the central universal joint 62 of the holding shaft 63.

  FIGS. 18 to 20 show the state in which the above-described elderly simulated experience equipment for arms is attached to the subject in addition to FIGS. 15 and 16. In FIG. 15 in which the arm is straightened, the holding shaft 63 is urged and returned by the spring 73 so that the holding shaft 63 is at the origin position extending in the left-right direction with respect to the arm. By bending the finger, a decrease in gripping force is simulated by the resistance force of the spring 73. When the elbow is bent from the state of FIG. 15, the rod portion 54 is slid with respect to the cylinder portions 52 and 53 in each of the pair of left and right torque dampers 51L and 51R, and a resistance force is generated. That is, the amount of protrusion of the rod portion 54 from the cylinder portions 52 and 53 to the rear is reduced so that the left torque damper 51L is small, and the amount of protrusion is large in the right torque damper 51R. Is done. When returning from the state of FIG. 16 to the state of FIG. 15, sliding is performed and a resistance force is generated.

  When the forearm portion is twisted to the left (small finger side) as shown by the solid line arrow from the state of FIG. 15, the rod part 54 slides against the cylinder parts 52 and 53 as shown by the solid line arrow, and the resistance force Is generated. Similarly, when the forearm part is twisted to the right (thumb side) as shown by the broken line arrow from the state of FIG. 15, the rod part 54 slides relative to the cylinder parts 52 and 53 as shown by the broken line arrow. , Resistance is generated. Even if the forearm is twisted from the state shown in FIG. 16, a resistance force is similarly generated. When the elbow or forearm is stationary, no sliding occurs, so no resistance is generated.

  In both the elbow flexion and extension movements and the forearm torsional movement, the rod part 54 is rotatable with respect to the cylinder parts 52 and 53, and the degree of freedom of swinging by the universal joints 56, 62 and 64 is increased. The elbow can bend and stretch smoothly and the forearm can be smoothly twisted while obtaining a sliding force for generating a resistance force.

  FIG. 17 is used in conjunction with the above-described elderly simulated experience equipment for legs and arms, in particular, the elderly simulated experience equipment for legs of FIGS. 1 to 9 to ensure that the predetermined wearing state is maintained. The jacket member 91 used is shown. The jacket member 91 is attached to the subject's upper body, and has a trunk winding part 92 and a pair of left and right shoulder parts 93. The torso winding part 92 is tightly wound around the torso of the subject by a length-adjustable tightening belt 94. Note that the belt 94 is tightly tightened by shortening the length in a state where the tongue 94b is engaged with the buckle 94a to make the belt 94 annular.

  The pair of left and right shoulder portions 93 are substantially formed by a length-adjustable belt and intersect each other at the rear of the subject's torso, with the torso wrapping portion 92 wound around the torso of the subject. It is set so that the front part and the rear part may be connected across the subject's shoulder. A pair of left and right suspension belts 95 are connected to the side portion of the trunk wrap portion 92 in order to suspend and support the first stay member 1 in the elderly elderly simulated experience equipment for legs. A hook-like engaging portion 96 is provided at the lower end portion of the suspension belt 95, and the engaging portion 19 (see FIG. 1) of the connecting belt 18 connected to the first stay member 1 is the engaging portion 96. (See also FIG. 20 showing the engaged state).

  In addition, you may connect the elderly person simulated experience equipment for arms to the jacket member 91, and as shown in FIG. 10, both ends were made into the free end part in the said 1st base member 41. When the connecting belt 61 is connected, an engaging portion 62 that is detachably engaged with an engaging portion (not shown in FIG. 17) provided on the jacket member 91 is provided at each end of the connecting belt. Good.

  FIGS. 18-20 shows the state in which each elderly person simulated experience brace was equipped with the jacket member 91 by the test subject. In the elderly simulated experience equipment for legs, the first stay member 1 is attached to the thigh of the subject using the fixture 31 while the bottom member 21 is attached to the foot, and the second stay member 2 is attached. Is attached to the lower part of the subject's knees using the fixture 35, and at the time of attachment, both the stay members 1 and 2 and the torque damper main body 10 are positioned outside the legs. Further, the length of the second stay member 2 is adjusted so that the torque damper main body 10 is positioned just to the side of the knee joint. Furthermore, the situation in which the first stay member 1 is coupled to the jacket member 91 using the coupling belt 18 and the torque damper main body 10 is largely moved below the knee joint position is more reliably prevented.

  In the elderly elderly simulated experience equipment for legs, both stay members 1 and 2 are swung according to the amount of knee flexion and extension, whereby the inner member 11 of the torque damper main body 10 is rotated relative to the outer member 12. Thus, a resistance force is generated. Resistance force generation by the torque damper main body 10 is performed only while the knee is being bent and extended, and no resistance force is generated when the knee is stationary with the knee bent or stretched. The torque damper main body 10 is changed to one having a different magnitude of the generated resistance force or the number of torque damper main bodies 10 to be used is changed according to the age difference of the elderly or according to the physical strength difference of the subject. By doing so, the magnitude of the generated resistance force accompanying the bending and stretching of the knee joint can be changed within a large range.

  On the other hand, in the elderly simulated experience equipment for arms, the first base member 41 is attached to the upper arm portion of the subject by the fixture 43, and the second base member 42 is attached to the forearm portion of the subject by the fixture 44. . In addition, gloves 71 are attached to the subject's hands and fingers (attachment of spring 73). Further, if necessary, the first base member 41 is prevented from inadvertently moving to the wrist side by connecting the first base member 41 to the jacket member 91 by using the connecting belt 61.

  In the elderly simulated experience equipment for the arm, when the finger is bent (except for the thumb), the urging force of the spring 73 becomes resistance, and a decrease in grip strength is simulated. When the elbow is bent as shown in FIG. 15 or when the forearm is twisted as shown in FIG. 16, the rod portion 54 slides on the cylinder portions 52 and 53 to generate a resistance force. The magnitude of the generated resistance force is changed by operating the adjustment dials 52a and 53a according to the difference in the age of the elderly or according to the difference in the physical strength of the subject. Since the strength of the arm is sufficiently smaller than the strength of the leg, it is possible to deal with a wide range of ages (muscle strength differences) with the range of resistance adjustment by the adjustment dials 52a and 53a.

  FIGS. 21 and 22 are designed to generate a resistance force only when the knee joint is bent in a predetermined position direction in the elderly experience simulator shown in FIGS. 1 to 9. The members corresponding to the members shown in FIG. 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof is omitted. In the present embodiment, when the one-way clutch 81 is interposed between the second stay member 2 and the first mounting shaft 6, the second stay member 2 swings in a predetermined direction with respect to the first stay member 1. Only the first mounting shaft 6 is rotated as the second stay member 2 swings.

  In order to constitute the one-way clutch 81, the first mounting shaft 6 is rotatably held with a predetermined resistance against the second stay member 2, while the first mounting shaft 6 has a ratchet gear at its proximal end. 82 is integrated. A case member 83 is fixed to the second stay member 2 so as to surround the ratchet gear 82. The case member 83 holds an engaging member 84 that can move forward and backward from the diameter direction toward the ratchet gear 82, and a spring 85 that biases the engaging member 84 toward the ratchet gear 82. ing.

  In FIG. 22, consider the case where the second stay member 2 is swung clockwise in the drawing. At this time, the ratchet gear 82 is rotated with the swing of the second stay member 2 via the engaging member 84. That is, as the second stay member 2 swings, the first mounting shaft 6 is rotated, and a resistance force is generated by the torque damper main body 10. Conversely, when the second stay member 2 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 22, the engaging member 84 is merely moved forward and backward while sliding on the peripheral surface of the ratchet gear 82, so that the rotation of the ratchet gear 82, that is, the first 1 The rotation of the mounting shaft 6 is prevented, and no resistance force is generated by the torque damper main body 10. In addition, it can be arbitrarily selected whether to generate the resistance force in the direction of bending or stretching the knee, but it is preferable to set so that the resistance force is generated when the knee is stretched (when sitting when bending the knee) This is done easily using the load on the upper body, but it is necessary to resist the load on the upper body when standing up to extend the knee).

  Although the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and includes the following cases, for example. Each of the elderly artificial experience devices for legs and arms can also be used without using the jacket member 91 separately. As the jacket member 91, one having an appropriate shape as long as it has a shoulder portion. Can be adopted.

  1 to 9 can be used not only for the leg but also for the elbow joint of the arm or for the hip joint. As the torque damper main body 10, a member capable of adjusting the resistance by operating a manually operated resistance adjusting member provided on the torque damper main body 10 can be used. The torque damper main body 10 is not limited to a rotary type, and for example, a cylinder type, that is, a reciprocating type can be used (in this case, a swinging connection portion between both the stay members 1 and 2 is sandwiched, and a cylinder is placed on one side thereof. And the piston rod part may be connected to the other side in a rotatable manner. Of course, the use of the rotary torque damper is compact as a whole, and the swinging force, that is, the resistance force can be reliably obtained even when both the stay members 1 and 2 are substantially in a straight line. It becomes preferable from. The inner member 11 (first mounting shaft 6) of the torque damper main body 10 may be provided on the first stay member 1 side, and the outer member 12 (second mounting shaft 8) may be provided on the second stay member 2 side. The fixing tool 31 (35) may be only one of the winding member 32 (36) and the belt 33 (37). The shape of the bottom member 21 may be a shape that greatly restricts the movement of the ankle as in the ski boot type. Further, the bottom member 21 may not be used separately.

  10-16, the cylinder parts 52 and 53 are connected to the second base member 42 side while the tip part of the rod part 54 is provided on the first base member 41 side. You can also. However, in this case, the protruding amount of the rod portion 54 from the cylinder portions 52 and 53 toward the front (to the fingertip side of the hand) becomes considerably large, which obstructs the manual operation of the rod portion 54. Considering the ease, it is preferable to provide the cylinder portions 52 and 53 on the first base member 41 side as in the embodiment. The pair of left and right cylinder portions 52 and 53 may be connected to the first base member 41 via a universal joint that is common to the left and right without being connected to the first base member 41 via independent universal joints. The pair of left and right rod portions 54 can be connected to the second base member 42 only through the left and right independent universal joints 64 without using the common universal joint 62. It is conceivable to connect the cylinder members 52 and 53 and the rod member 54 to the base member without using a universal joint. In this case, however, smooth bending and stretching of the elbow joint and smooth twisting of the forearm are hindered. Therefore, it is preferable to adopt a connection via a universal joint. The other end of the spring 73 whose one end is connected to the holding shaft 63 may be connected to the second base member 42 to which the holding shaft 63 is attached instead of the glove 71 (in this case, Can not give resistance to gripping with fingers). Although it is possible not to provide the spring 73 separately, it is possible to forcibly return the holding shaft 63 to a predetermined origin position (a state in which the arm shown in FIG. 15 extends in the left-right direction with the arm straightened). Therefore, it is preferable to provide the spring 73. The length of the rod portion 54 can be adjusted so that it can cope with the difference in the length of the forearm portion of the subject. The rod portion 54 can be of a type that extends only telescopically from the cylinder portion to one end thereof without penetrating the cylinder portions 52 and 53 (in particular, the expansion and contraction movement of the rod portion 54). In the case of a type in which resistance force is generated in both directions, the cylinder portion can be only one of 52 or 53).

  Various members can be expressed by adding the names of the means to the high-level expression of the function. Further, the object of the present invention is not limited to what is explicitly stated, but also implicitly includes providing what is substantially preferred or expressed as an advantage.

The whole top view which shows the elderly person simulated experience brace for legs. The figure which shows in detail the 2nd stay member and its fixing tool part among FIG. The figure which shows the attachment relationship of the lower end part of a 1st stay member, and its fixing tool among FIG. The figure which takes out and shows a 1st stay member, a 2nd stay member, and a torque damper main body among FIG. The figure which shows a 1st stay member, a 2nd stay member, and a bottom member from the side, and the state which removed the torque damper main body from the stay member. The figure which shows the detail of the attachment part of a 1st stay member, a 2nd stay member, and a torque damper main body from the side. The top view which shows a torque damper main body and its attachment stay. The partial cross section figure which shows a torque damper main body and each attachment shaft. The exploded side surface sectional view showing the connecting part in detail in the state where the 1st stay member and the 2nd stay member were made to intersect perpendicularly. The whole top view which shows the elderly person simulated experience brace for arms. The figure which excludes a fixing tool and a glove from the state of FIG. The side view of FIG. The figure when it shows the attachment state of the cylinder part to a 1st base member, and it sees from the upper direction of FIG. The figure which shows the attachment state of the rod part to a 2nd base member, and is seen from the downward direction of FIG. The top view which shows the state which mounted | wore the arm in FIG. The top view which shows a state when an elbow is bent from the state of FIG. The front view which shows an example of a jacket member. The front view when each elderly person simulated experience brace and the jacket member are mounted on the subject. The rear view of FIG. The side view of FIG. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing another embodiment of the elderly experience simulator shown in FIG. 1 and showing an example of a mechanism that generates a resistance force only when swinging in a predetermined direction. FIG. 22 is a plan sectional view of FIG. 21.

Explanation of symbols

α: swing center line 1: first stay member 2: second stay member 2A: first member 2B: second member 2C: lock mechanism 2b: operation member (for lock / unlock switching)
3: Pin (in the connecting part, swing center)
6: first mounting shaft 8: second mounting shaft 10: torque damper body 11: inner member 12: outer member 15: lock nut 18: connecting belt 21: bottom member 31: first fixing tool 32: winding member 33: tightening Belt 35: second fixing tool 36: winding member 37: tightening belt 41: first base member 42: second base member 43: first fixing tool 44: second fixing tool 45: winding member 46: tightening belt 47 : Winding member 48: tightening belt 51L, 51R: pair of left and right reciprocating torque dampers 52, 53: pair of front and rear cylinders 54: rod 56: universal joint 62: central side universal joint 63: holding shaft 64: end Side universal joint 71: Gloves 73: Spring 81: One-way clutch 91: Jacket member 93: Shoulder portion

Claims (7)

A first base member;
A second base member;
A first fixture for detachably fixing the first base member to the upper arm of the human body;
A second fixture for detachably fixing the second base member to the forearm of the human body;
A pair of left and right reciprocating torque dampers each including a cylinder portion and a rod portion that is slidable and rotatable with respect to the cylinder portion, and that generates a resistance force in response to sliding of the rod portion with respect to the cylinder portion;
First holding means for holding the pair of left and right cylinder parts spaced apart from each other and swingable with respect to the first base member via a universal joint;
The distal end portion of the pair of right and left rod part, spaced apart from each other, and a second holding means for swingably held to said second base member via a universal joint,
Elderly simulated experience equipment characterized by having. In claim 1,
The first holding means is provided in a pair of left and right so as to hold the pair of left and right cylinder portions independently and swingably with respect to the first base member,
The second holding means has a holding shaft whose middle portion is held by the second base member so as to be swingable through a central universal joint,
The left and right end portions of the holding shaft are connected to the tip portions of the pair of left and right rod portions so as to be swingable through end-side universal joints,
Elderly simulated experience equipment characterized by that. In claim 2,
The pair of left and right cylinder portions, respectively, provided with a pair before and after the series,
The direction of resistance force generation in the pair of front and rear cylinder parts is set to be opposite to each other in the sliding direction of the rod part.
Elderly simulated experience equipment characterized by that. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 3,
The elderly simulated experience equipment, wherein the magnitude of the resistance force in each of the pair of left and right cylinders is adjustable. In claim 2 or claim 3 ,
The elderly simulated experience equipment further comprising a spring that urges the holding shaft so that the holding shaft extends in a predetermined direction substantially perpendicular to the arm direction.
In claim 5,
Further comprising gloves, a plurality of the springs are provided on the left and right sides,
Of the holding shaft, a left side portion on the little finger side with the central universal joint as a boundary, and a left side portion of a plurality of specific positions in the vicinity of where the first joint of the finger is located in the glove are the plurality. Connected by some of the springs
Other springs in which the right part of the holding shaft on the thumb side with the central universal joint as the boundary and the right part of the plurality of specific positions are other than the part of the plurality of springs Connected by
Elderly simulated experience equipment characterized by that. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 6,
An elderly simulated experience equipment characterized by further comprising a suspension belt that connects the first base member to a shoulder portion of a human body and restricts the first base member from being displaced downward.

Images