WALKING ASSISTANCE MOVING VEHICLE

• US 20150066328A1
• Filed: 08/21/2014
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: NAKADA, Takeshi
• Application Number:
  US14/464,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20150066328A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/93
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/043 with a drive mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/046 with braking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5028 Contact activation, i.e. activated at contact with a surface of the user to be treated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5061 Force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5069 Angle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5079 Velocity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5092 Optical sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/04 Wheeled walking aids for disabled persons A61H3/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/105 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0033 Electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0069 Control
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/02 providing for travelling up or down a flight of stairs chairs or multi-track cycles specially adapted for invalids A61G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 9/00 Accessories or details specially adapted for children's carriages or perambulators providing for travelling on snow B62B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 9/02 providing for travelling up or down a flight of stairs

Abstract

A walking assistance moving vehicle includes a walking assistance moving vehicle main body configured to assist walking of a user, a speed sensor configured to sense speed of the walking assistance moving vehicle main body, and a controller configured to decelerate the walking assistance moving vehicle main body according to the speed sensed by the speed sensor.

Claims

1. A walking assistance moving vehicle comprising:

a walking assistance moving vehicle main body configured to assist walking of a user;

a speed sensor configured to sense speed of the walking assistance moving vehicle main body; and

a controller configured to decelerate the walking assistance moving vehicle main body according to the speed sensed by the speed sensor.

2. The walking assistance moving vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

a distance sensor configured to sense distance between the walking assistance moving vehicle main body and a forward obstacle,

the controller being further configured to decelerate the walking assistance moving vehicle main body based on the distance to the forward obstacle sensed by the distance sensor and the speed sensed by the speed sensor.

3. The walking assistance moving vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the distance sensor is further configured to sense at least a first distance between the walking assistance moving vehicle main body and an upward forward obstacle, and

the controller is further configured to decelerate the walking assistance moving vehicle main body based on the first distance sensed by the distance sensor and a first distance threshold set according to the speed sensed by the speed sensor.

4. The walking assistance moving vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the controller is further configured to calculate braking distance to decelerate the walking assistance moving vehicle main body to a stationary state at a specific acceleration based on the speed sensed by the speed sensor, configured to set the first distance threshold based on the braking distance, and configured to start decelerating the walking assistance moving vehicle main body in response to the distance sensed by the distance sensor being equal to or smaller than the first distance threshold.

5. The walking assistance moving vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the first distance threshold is set to a value that is equal to or larger than the braking distance calculated by the controller.

6. The walking assistance moving vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the first distance threshold is calculated based on the braking distance and is set to be equal to or smaller than a maximum value of the first distance detectable by the distance sensor, and

the controller is further configured to set the maximum value of the first distance as the first distance threshold in response to the first distance threshold calculated based on the braking distance being greater than the maximum value of the first distance, and is further configured to decelerate the walking assistance moving vehicle main body in a state in which acceleration for decelerating the walking assistance moving vehicle main body is increased to stop before reaching the upward forward obstacle.

7. The walking assistance moving vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the controller is further configured not to decelerate the walking assistance moving vehicle main body in response to the speed sensed by the speed sensor being equal to or smaller than a specific speed while the first distance sensed by the distance sensor is equal to or smaller than the first distance threshold.

8. The walking assistance moving vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the distance sensor is further configured to sense a second distance between the walking assistance moving vehicle main body and a downward forward obstacle, and

the controller is further configured to retard a timing at which deceleration is commenced in response to the second distance sensed by the distance sensor being equal to or larger than a second distance threshold and in response to the braking distance calculated based on the speed sensed by the speed sensor being equal to or smaller than a specific distance.

9. The walking assistance moving vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to decelerate the walking assistance moving vehicle main body according to the speed sensed by the speed sensor to stop the walking assistance moving vehicle main body, and configured to limit forward walking of the user or configured not to assist the forward walking of the user after the walking assistance moving vehicle main body stops.

10. The walking assistance moving vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

an inclination sensor configured to sense inclination of the walking assistance moving vehicle main body,

the controller being further configured to calculate the braking distance based on the speed sensed by the speed sensor and the inclination of the walking assistance moving vehicle main body sensed by the inclination sensor.

11. The walking assistance moving vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

a memory component configured to store the speed sensed by the speed sensor,

the controller being further configured to predict the speed of the walking assistance moving vehicle main body based on past speed information stored in the memory component, and configured to correct the braking distance based on the predicted speed in response to an increase in the speed of the walking assistance moving vehicle main body being predicted.