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Toilet chairs with assisted standing function plays an important role in home living aids. This equipment must have both lifting and rotating motions so that users can perform assisted standing exercises in a more ergonomic, comfortable, and safe manner. Currently, most toilet standing-aid devices on the market use electric actuators to drive the seat of the chair, enabling simultaneous lifting and rotating motions. A small number of devices rely on the user's strength in combination with springs or air cylinders. The driving sources can be categorized into two types: 1. Active type driven by electric actuators and 2. Passive type, where the user's strength is primary, aided by springs and air cylinders. Additionally, how to improve stability, reduce the size of the mechanism, and lower maintenance and repair costs are all subjects worth exploring and delving into.
This study focuses on the research, exploration, and innovative design of the four-bar linkage mechanism in toilet chairs with assisted standing functions. First, the strengths, weaknesses, and characteristics of existing patents and products are analyzed to propose an innovative, practical, and ergonomically designed rotating control mechanism (innovative design solution). The design is classified as a power-driven standing toilet chair based on the direction of knee joint movement. The back link and armrest are then integrated into the innovative design to enhance safety while maintaining comfort during operation. Initially, SolidWorks is used to create engineering drawings and verify the feasibility of the innovative design. Next, the dimensions of the power-driven toilet mechanism are input into Altair Inspire for motion simulation and drive force analysis to ensure that the study's objectives are met. Finally, a prototype of the innovative design is developed.
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