PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a walking assistance device made simple and inexpensive without using electric energy at all.SOLUTION: This walking assistance device 20 including a lower leg brace 4, a foot brace 5, and an actuator 3 includes: a support shaft 7 swingably journaling the foot brace 5 and a pump means 2 disposed below a sole front part of a wearer. The actuator 3 includes: a case body 10 a volume variable means 13 to which compressed air is supplied from the pump means 2 to inflate and from which the compressed air is discharged to the pump means 2 to contract a pressure reception member 11 disposed on one side of the volume variable means 13, receiving pressure at the time of the inflation of the volume variable means 13, and swinging the foot brace 5 in the plantar flexion direction to the lower leg brace 4 and an energizing member 12 energizing the volume variable means 13 through the pressure reception member 11 so as to contract the volume variable means 13. When a tiptoe of the wearer separates from the ground, the compressed air is discharged from the volume variable means 13 to the pump means 2 by the reaction force of the energizing member 12 to swing the foot brace 5 in the dorsiflexion direction to the lower leg brace 4.COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT【課題】電気エネルギーを一切使用せず、簡便で安価な歩行支援装置を提供する。【解決手段】下腿装具4と、足装具5と、アクチュエータ3と、を備えた歩行支援装置20であって、足装具5を揺動可能に軸支する支持軸7と、装着者の足底前部の下方に配置されるポンプ手段2と、を備え、アクチュエータ3は、ケース体10と、ポンプ手段2から圧縮空気が供給されて膨張するとともにポンプ手段2に圧縮空気が排出されて収縮する容積可変手段13と、容積可変手段13の一側に配置され、容積可変手段13の膨張時の圧力を受けて、下腿装具4に対して足装具5を底屈方向に揺動する受圧部材11と、容積可変手段13を受圧部材11を介して収縮させるように付勢する付勢部材12と、を備え、装着者の爪先が離地する際に、付勢部材12の反力により容積可変手段13からポンプ手段2に圧縮空気が排出されることで、下腿装具4に対して足装具5を背屈方向に揺動する。【選択図】図1
