Human mobility device

Abstract

This technology provides the ability to easily move a person's body while they are sleeping. [Solution] The human body movement device 1 comprises a human body drive actuator (first body position change actuator 11, first horizontal movement actuator 71A, and second horizontal movement actuator 72A) that expands using the supplied fluid, and a human body receiving side buffer actuator (third body position change actuator 13, first horizontal movement actuator 71C) that expands using the supplied fluid. The human body drive actuator applies force to the human body by supplying fluid, moving the human body from the initial position to a predetermined direction. The human body receiving side buffer actuator supports the gravitational force acting on the human body while the fluid is supplied or while deforming due to the supply of fluid, and moves the human body to the final position while supporting the human body as the fluid is gradually discharged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a human body moving device for moving a human body.

Background Art

[0002] In today's aging society, the number of care recipients in a bedridden state is increasing. If a care recipient continues to maintain the same posture for a long time, there is a possibility of developing pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores. Therefore, caregivers need to change the position of the care recipient every few hours. Also, for example, when a care recipient stands up from a bed, they need to move to the edge of the bed while lying down, and such horizontal movement on the bed also requires assistance from a caregiver.

[0003] As described above, caregivers often move care recipients who are lying in bed, but such assistance places a heavy burden on both the caregiver and the care recipient. In this regard, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for preventing pressure ulcers by improving the ventilation of the back of a supine caregiver using an airbag.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] According to the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, pressure ulcers can be prevented by temporarily lifting the back of the caregiver, but it is not possible to move the caregiver on the bed, such as changing the position of the caregiver or horizontally moving the caregiver on the bed.

[0006] This disclosure was made to solve these problems, and its purpose is to provide a technology that makes it possible to easily move a person's body while they are sleeping. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A human body movement device according to a certain aspect of this disclosure comprises a human body drive actuator that inflates using a supplied fluid and a human body receiving side cushion actuator that inflates using a supplied fluid. The human body drive actuator applies force to the human body by supplying fluid, moving the human body from an initial position to a predetermined direction. The human body receiving side cushion actuator supports the gravitational force acting on the human body while the fluid is supplied or while it is deforming due to the supply of fluid, and moves the human body to a final position while supporting the human body as the fluid is gradually discharged.

[0008] A human body repositioning device according to another aspect of the present disclosure comprises a first positioning actuator that inflates using a supplied fluid, a second positioning actuator that inflates using a supplied fluid, a third positioning actuator that inflates using a supplied fluid, and a control device that controls the supply of fluid to the first, second, and third positioning actuators. The first positioning actuator is located on one side of the human body. The second positioning actuator is located on the other side of the human body. The third positioning actuator is located on the underside of the human body. The control device supplies fluid to the first positioning actuator to raise at least a portion of the human body and change its position, supplies fluid to the second positioning actuator to receive the repositioned human body, and supplies fluid to the third positioning actuator to support at least a portion of the repositioned human body.

[0009] A human body movement device according to another aspect of this disclosure comprises a plurality of first horizontal movement actuators that inflate using a supplied fluid, and a control device that controls the supply of fluid to the plurality of first horizontal movement actuators. The plurality of first horizontal movement actuators are arranged in a line in the direction of horizontal movement of the human body. The boundary between at least two of the plurality of first horizontal movement actuators is located on the underside of the human body. The control device moves the human body horizontally by sequentially supplying fluid to the plurality of first horizontal movement actuators.

[0010] A human body movement device according to another aspect of this disclosure comprises a horizontal movement actuator for moving a human body horizontally, a positional change actuator for changing the position of the human body, and a control device for controlling the supply of fluid to the horizontal movement actuator and the positional change actuator. The horizontal movement actuator includes a plurality of first horizontal movement actuators that inflate using the supplied fluid. The plurality of first horizontal movement actuators are arranged in a line in the direction of horizontal movement of the human body. The boundary of at least two of the plurality of first horizontal movement actuators is located on the underside of the human body. The control device moves the human body horizontally by sequentially supplying fluid to the plurality of first horizontal movement actuators. The positional change actuator includes a first positional change actuator that inflates using the supplied fluid, a second positional change actuator that inflates using the supplied fluid, and a third positional change actuator that inflates using the supplied fluid. The first positional change actuator is located on one side of the human body. The second positional change actuator is located on the other side of the human body. The third positional change actuator is located on the underside of the human body. The control device raises at least a portion of the human body and changes its position by supplying fluid to the first position change actuator, receives the repositioned human body by supplying fluid to the second position change actuator, and supports at least a portion of the repositioned human body by supplying fluid to the third position change actuator. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to this disclosure, a human body can be moved using an actuator that expands using a supplied fluid, thereby reducing the burden on both the caregiver and the person being cared for. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating an example of the application of the human body movement device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This diagram shows the configuration of a body positioning actuator. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the configuration of the first and second body positioning actuators. [Figure 4] This is a diagram illustrating the assembly of a triangular prism actuator. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the configuration of the third positional change actuator. [Figure 6] This diagram shows how the third positional change actuator supports the human body. [Figure 7] This diagram shows the configuration of the human body transport device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the control of the air supply to the body positioning actuator by the control device. [Figure 9] This is a diagram illustrating an example of the application of the human body movement device according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 10] This is a diagram showing the configuration of a horizontal movement actuator. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the configuration of the second horizontal movement actuator. [Figure 12] This diagram shows the configuration of the human body transport device according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 13] This diagram illustrates the control of the air supply to the body positioning actuator by the control device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] <Embodiment 1> The human body moving device 1 according to Embodiment 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. For the same or corresponding parts in the figures, the same reference numerals are given, and the description thereof will not be repeated in principle.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an application example of the human body moving device 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the human body moving device 1 according to Embodiment 1 is configured to convert the body position of a human body lying on a bed or the like. For example, FIG. 1 shows an example in which the human body moving device 1 uses the body position conversion actuator 10 to convert the body position of the human body from the supine position (lying face up) to the lateral position (lying face down).

[0015] The body position conversion actuator 10 includes a human body driving actuator, a human body receiving side buffer actuator, and an intermediate body position actuator. Specifically, the body position conversion actuator 10 includes a first body position conversion actuator 11, a second body position conversion actuator 12, and a third body position conversion actuator 13. The first body position conversion actuator 11 is an example of a human body driving actuator. The second body position conversion actuator 12 is an example of an intermediate body position actuator. The third body position conversion actuator 13 is an example of a human body receiving side buffer actuator. The first body position conversion actuator 11, the second body position conversion actuator 12, and the third body position conversion actuator 13 each expand by being supplied with air (fluid) and have a function like a cushion for the human body by holding the supplied air inside. Note that the body position conversion actuator 10 according to Embodiment 1 expands using air as the "fluid", but the body position conversion actuator 10 may expand using, for example, a gas other than air as the "fluid".

[0016] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the body position conversion actuator 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the body position conversion actuator 10 is formed in a sheet shape in which the first body position conversion actuator 11, the second body position conversion actuator 12, and the third body position conversion actuator 13 are integrated, and can be laid on the lower surface side of a sleeping human body (for example, the back side of a human body in the supine position).

[0017] When the body position conversion actuator 10 is laid on the lower surface side of the human body, the first body position conversion actuator 11 is disposed on one side surface of the human body (for example, the left side of a human body in the supine position). Further, the first body position conversion actuator 11 includes an upper first body position conversion actuator 11A disposed on the upper body side and a lower first body position conversion actuator 11B disposed on the lower body side.

[0018] When the body position conversion actuator 10 is laid on the lower surface side of the human body, the second body position conversion actuator 12 is disposed on the other side surface of the human body (for example, the right side of a human body in the supine position). Further, the second body position conversion actuator 12 includes an upper second body position conversion actuator 12A disposed on the upper body side and a lower second body position conversion actuator 12B disposed on the lower body side.

[0019] When the body position conversion actuator 10 is laid on the lower surface side of the human body, the third body position conversion actuator 13 is disposed on the lower surface side of the human body.

[0020] Returning to Figure 1, we will now describe an example of changing a person's position from supine to prone using the position change actuator 10. In Figure 1, the position of the person when they are supine and no air is supplied to the position change actuator 10 is called the initial position (position shown in Figures 1(A) and (B)), the position of the person during the transition from supine to prone as air is supplied to the position change actuator 10 is called the intermediate position (position shown in Figures 1(C), (D), and (E)), and the position of the person when they are prone and the position change actuator 10 is vented is called the final position (position shown in Figure 1(F)). As shown in Figure 1(A), in the initial supine position, the third position change actuator 13 is positioned on the back side of the person's body. Furthermore, the person in the supine position is positioned on the side of the first position change actuator 11 that is located, rather than the second position change actuator 12.

[0021] First, as shown in Figure 1(B), air is supplied to the second body position change actuator 12, and the supplied air causes the second body position change actuator 12 to inflate.

[0022] After the second body position change actuator 12 inflates, as shown in Figure 1(C), air is supplied to the first body position change actuator 11, and the supplied air inflates the first body position change actuator 11. The air pressure from the first body position change actuator 11 applies a force to the human body in a predetermined direction (the direction in which the second body position change actuator 12 is located), causing at least a portion of the human body in contact with the first body position change actuator 11 to rise. Specifically, at least a portion of the upper left half of the human body rises due to the upper first body position change actuator 11A. At least a portion of the lower left half of the human body rises due to the lower first body position change actuator 11B. On the other hand, the upper right half and lower right half of the human body that are not in contact with the first body position change actuator 11 do not rise. As a result, the human body tilts toward the direction in which the second body position change actuator 12 is located (to the right side of the human body) into an intermediate position, and gradually changes from a supine position to a lateral position.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1(D), in an intermediate position during the body position change, the human body comes into contact with the already inflated second body position change actuator 12. As a result, the human body is supported by the second body position change actuator 12. Specifically, at least a portion of the upper body of the human body is supported by the upper second body position change actuator 12A. At least a portion of the lower body of the human body is supported by the lower second body position change actuator 12B. Furthermore, in parallel with the inflation of the first body position change actuator 11, air is supplied to the third body position change actuator 13, and the supplied air causes the third body position change actuator 13 to inflate.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1(E), the second position-changing actuator 12, which receives the human body, supports the gravitational force acting on the human body while air is supplied or while air is supplied and it deforms, and holds the human body in an intermediate position for a predetermined time. The second position-changing actuator 12 is deflated by the load received from the human body and slowly contracts, and while being supported by the second position-changing actuator 12, the human body gradually changes position from lateral to prone. The changed human body then comes into contact with the already inflated third position-changing actuator 13. The third position-changing actuator 13 supports the gravitational force acting on the human body while air is supplied or while air is supplied and it deforms, and as the air is gradually released, it supports the human body and moves it to the prone position (final position). As a result, at least a part of the changed human body is supported by the third position-changing actuator 13. When the body is supported by the third positional change actuator 13, a space is created between the head and the bed, allowing the person being cared for to maintain a posture that makes breathing easier.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1(F), the first positional change actuator 11 is vented and slowly retracts. Furthermore, the third positional change actuator 13, which supports the upper body of the human body, is vented by the load received from the upper body of the human body and slowly retracts. As a result, with the positional change actuator 10 vented, the human body is placed in a prone position (final position).

[0026] In this way, the human body transfer device 1 can change the position of a person from supine to prone by supplying air to a position-changing actuator 10 placed on the back of a person lying supine. By changing the position of a person being cared for using such a human body transfer device 1, the person can be moved without causing any impact to the body, thus reducing the burden on both the caregiver and the person being cared for.

[0027] In Figure 1, an example is shown in which the human body transfer device 1 changes the position of a person from supine to prone. However, if the position change actuator 10 is initially placed behind the person's back while they are in a prone position, the human body transfer device 1 can also change the position of the person from prone to supine.

[0028] Figure 3 shows the configuration of the first body position change actuator 11 and the second body position change actuator 12. As shown in Figure 3, the first body position change actuator 11 and the second body position change actuator 12 have similar structures. Specifically, the upper first body position change actuator 11A, the lower first body position change actuator 11B, the upper second body position change actuator 12A, and the lower second body position change actuator 12B have similar structures.

[0029] The first body position change actuator 11 (upper first body position change actuator 11A, lower first body position change actuator 11B) and the second body position change actuator 12 (upper second body position change actuator 12A, lower second body position change actuator 12B) have a three-layer structure including a triangular prism actuator 51 located in the upper layer, a triangular prism actuator 53 located in the middle layer, and a triangular prism actuator 52 located in the lower layer. The triangular prism actuator 51 in the upper layer and the triangular prism actuator 52 in the lower layer have similar shapes.

[0030] To obtain sufficient displacement and force to move the human body, it is necessary to increase the contact area between the human body and the first and second position-changing actuators 11 and 12. On the other hand, increasing the contact area between the human body and the first and second position-changing actuators 11 and 12 increases the volume required to inflate the first and second position-changing actuators 11 and 12, which may decrease the response speed of the first and second position-changing actuators 11 and 12. A triangular prism is a three-dimensional shape that has one surface capable of generating sufficient force and minimizes the number of surfaces. In other words, to further improve the response speed of the first and second position-changing actuators 11 and 12, it is effective to divide the first and second position-changing actuators 11 and 12 into multiple layers using triangular prism actuators and to appropriately set the volume of each triangular prism actuator. By dividing the first body position change actuator 11 and the second body position change actuator 12 into multiple layers using triangular prism actuators, it becomes possible to reduce the volume of each actuator after inflation without changing the contact area between the human body and the first body position change actuator 11 and the second body position change actuator 12, thereby improving the response speed of the first body position change actuator 11 and the second body position change actuator 12. However, the more layers that divide the first body position change actuator 11 and the second body position change actuator 12, the more the volume of each actuator after inflation decreases, but there is a concern that the rigidity of the first body position change actuator 11 and the second body position change actuator 12 will decrease. For this reason, the first body position change actuator 11 and the second body position change actuator 12 according to Embodiment 1 have a three-layer structure of triangular prism actuators.

[0031] Figure 3(A) shows an unfolded view of the triangular prism actuator 51. As shown in Figure 3(A), the triangular prism actuator 51 is formed by heat-pressing five plastic films 511 to 515 together to form a bag, and then expands using supplied air to take on the shape of a triangular prism. Note that the triangular prism actuator 51 is not limited to five plastic films 511 to 515; it may also be formed by folding a single plastic film, or by heat-pressing a different number of plastic films together. Furthermore, the triangular prism actuator 51 has an air intake port 518 made of plastic film and an exhaust port 519 made of plastic film.

[0032] Figure 3(B) shows an unfolded view of the triangular prism actuator 53. As shown in Figure 3(B), the triangular prism actuator 53 is formed by heat-pressing five plastic films 531 to 535 together to form a bag, and then expands using supplied air to take on the shape of a triangular prism. Note that the triangular prism actuator 53 is not limited to five plastic films 531 to 535; it may also be formed by folding a single plastic film, or by heat-pressing a different number of plastic films together. Furthermore, the triangular prism actuator 53 has an air intake port 538 made of plastic film and an exhaust port 539 made of plastic film.

[0033] Figure 3(C) shows an unfolded view of the triangular prism actuator 52. As shown in Figure 3(C), the triangular prism actuator 52 is formed by heat-pressing five plastic films 521 to 525 together to form a bag, and then expands using supplied air to take on the shape of a triangular prism. The triangular prism actuator 53 is not limited to five plastic films 521 to 525; it may also be formed by folding a single plastic film, or by heat-pressing a different number of plastic films together. Furthermore, the triangular prism actuator 52 has an air intake port 528 made of plastic film and an exhaust port 529 made of plastic film.

[0034] The thickness of the plastic films 511-515, 521-525, and 531-535 is set to be relatively small, for example, about 10 mm. Therefore, even when the first body position change actuator 11 and the second body position change actuator 12 are placed on the underside of the human body, the person being cared for can use them without discomfort. In addition, the length 51S of the inclined surface that contacts the side of the human body in the triangular prism actuator 51 and the length 52S of the inclined surface that contacts the side of the human body in the triangular prism actuator 52 are set to approximately 244 mm, for example, based on the 68% confidence interval of the dimensions of the human body.

[0035] Furthermore, the triangular prism actuators 51, 53, and 52 that constitute the first and second position-changing actuators 11 and 12 are not limited to being made of plastic film, but may be made of other materials such as rubber. However, if the first and second position-changing actuators 11 and 12 are made of plastic film, the human body movement device 1 can be manufactured at a lower cost than if the first and second position-changing actuators 11 and 12 are made of rubber or the like. Also, if the first and second position-changing actuators 11 and 12 are made of plastic film, the first and second position-changing actuators 11 and 12 can be made lighter and more flexible than if they are made of rubber or the like, so the first and second position-changing actuators 11 and 12 can be inflated at a lower pressure. Therefore, the time required to inflate or deflate the first body position change actuator 11 and the second body position change actuator 12 can be shortened. Furthermore, since the pumps 21 and 22, which will be described later, for supplying air to the first body position change actuator 11 and the second body position change actuator 12 can be miniaturized, the entire system of the human body transfer device 1 can be miniaturized.

[0036] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the assembly of the triangular prism actuators 51 and 52. As shown in Figures 4(A), (B), and (C), the triangular prism actuators 51 and 52 are formed into a triangular prism bag shape by heat-pressing each plastic film surface.

[0037] The first positional change actuator 11 is positioned so that the inclined surfaces of the triangular prism actuators 51 and 52, which become triangular prisms when air is supplied, are in contact with the human body. Specifically, as shown in Figure 1(C), after air is supplied, the first positional change actuator 11 has a triangular cross-sectional shape when viewed from the head side of the human body, and is positioned so that the inclined surface is in contact with the human body. In other words, after air is supplied, the first positional change actuator 11 has an inclined surface in the direction of changing the human body's position. Therefore, after air is supplied, the first positional change actuator 11 can gently change the human body's position from supine to lateral while the inclined surface formed by expansion is in contact with the human body.

[0038] The second body positioning actuator 12 is positioned so that the inclined surfaces of the triangular prism actuators 51 and 52, which become triangular prisms when air is supplied, come into contact with the human body. Specifically, as shown in Figure 1(D), after air is supplied, the second body positioning actuator 12 has a triangular cross-sectional shape when viewed from the head side of the human body, and is positioned so that the inclined surface comes into contact with the human body. In other words, after air is supplied, the second body positioning actuator 12 has an inclined surface facing the direction in which it receives the human body. Therefore, after air is supplied, the second body positioning actuator 12 can receive the human body without causing any strain because the inclined surface formed by the expansion comes into contact with the human body.

[0039] The first body position change actuator 11 is divided into two parts: an upper first body position change actuator 11A that raises at least a part of the upper body to change the body's position, and a lower first body position change actuator 11B that raises at least a part of the lower body to change the body's position. However, the upper first body position change actuator 11A and the lower first body position change actuator 11B may be integrated into a single actuator. However, the first body position change actuator 11 being divided into two parts, the upper first body position change actuator 11A and the lower first body position change actuator 11B, allows for a shorter inflation or deflation time than when the upper first body position change actuator 11A and the lower first body position change actuator 11B are integrated.

[0040] The second body position change actuator 12 is divided into two parts: an upper second body position change actuator 12A that raises at least a part of the upper body of the human body to change its position, and a lower second body position change actuator 12B that raises at least a part of the lower body of the human body to change its position. However, the upper second body position change actuator 12A and the lower second body position change actuator 12B may be integrated into a single actuator. However, the second body position change actuator 12 being divided into two parts, the upper second body position change actuator 12A and the lower second body position change actuator 12B, allows for a shorter expansion or contraction time than when the upper second body position change actuator 12A and the lower second body position change actuator 12B are integrated.

[0041] Figure 5 shows the configuration of the third body position change actuator. As shown in Figure 5, the third body position change actuator 13 has a structure in which a triangular prism actuator 61 and a triangular prism actuator 62 are arranged side by side. The triangular prism actuator 61 and the triangular prism actuator 62 have similar shapes.

[0042] Figure 5(A) shows an unfolded view of the triangular prism actuator 61. As shown in Figure 5(A), the triangular prism actuator 61 is formed by heat-pressing five plastic films 611 to 615 together to form a bag, and then expands using supplied air to take on the shape of a triangular prism. Note that the triangular prism actuator 61 is not limited to five plastic films 611 to 615; it may also be formed by folding a single plastic film, or by heat-pressing a different number of plastic films together. Furthermore, the triangular prism actuator 61 has an air intake port 618 made of plastic film and an exhaust port 619 made of plastic film.

[0043] Figure 5(B) shows an unfolded view of the triangular prism actuator 62. As shown in Figure 5(B), the triangular prism actuator 62 is formed by heat-pressing five plastic films 621 to 625 together to form a bag, and then expands using supplied air to take on the shape of a triangular prism. Note that the triangular prism actuator 62 is not limited to five plastic films 621 to 625; it may also be formed by folding a single plastic film, or by heat-pressing a different number of plastic films together. Furthermore, the triangular prism actuator 62 has an air intake port 628 made of plastic film and an exhaust port 629 made of plastic film.

[0044] The thickness of the plastic films 611-615 and 621-625 is set to be relatively small, for example, about 10 mm. Therefore, even when the third positioning actuator 13 is placed on the underside of the human body, the person being cared for can use it without discomfort.

[0045] The triangular prism actuators 61 and 62 constituting the third body position change actuator 13 are not limited to being made of plastic film, but may be made of other materials such as rubber. However, if the third body position change actuator 13 is made of plastic film, the human body movement device 1 can be manufactured at a lower cost than if the third body position change actuator 13 is made of rubber or the like. Furthermore, if the third body position change actuator 13 is made of plastic film, the third body position change actuator 13 can be made lighter and more flexible than if it is made of rubber or the like, so the third body position change actuator 13 can be inflated at a lower pressure. This makes it possible to shorten the time required to inflate or deflate the third body position change actuator 13. In addition, the pumps 21 and 22, which will be described later, for supplying air to the third body position change actuator 13 can be miniaturized, so the entire system of the human body movement device 1 can be miniaturized.

[0046] Figure 6 shows how the third body positioning actuator 13 supports the human body. In Figure 6, the human body is shown being supported by the third body positioning actuator 13 in a prone position.

[0047] The third positioning actuator 13 is positioned so that the inclined surfaces of the triangular prism actuators 61 and 62, which become triangular prisms when air is supplied, come into contact with the human body. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, after air is supplied, the third positioning actuator 13 has a triangular cross-sectional shape when viewed from the side (horizontally from the bed 15), and the inclined surface is positioned so that it comes into contact with the upper body of the human body (mainly the part from the chest to the abdomen). In other words, after air is supplied, the third positioning actuator 13 has an inclined surface that faces in the direction of supporting the human body. Therefore, after air is supplied, the inclined surface formed by the inflation of the third positioning actuator 13 comes into contact with the human body, allowing the body to be supported while the head is lifted so that the upper body, including the chest, abdomen, and arms, does not come into contact with the bed 15, thus supporting the human body without putting strain on it. As a result, even in a lateral or prone position, the person being cared for can maintain a posture that makes it easy for them to breathe.

[0048] Figure 7 shows the configuration of the human body transfer device 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 7, the human body transfer device 1 comprises a body position changing actuator 10, pumps 21 and 22, solenoid valves 31 to 35, and a control device 100.

[0049] As described above, the body position change actuator 10 includes a first body position change actuator 11, a second body position change actuator 12, and a third body position change actuator 13. The first body position change actuator 11 includes an upper first body position change actuator 11A and a lower first body position change actuator 11B. The second body position change actuator 12 includes an upper second body position change actuator 12A and a lower second body position change actuator 12B.

[0050] Pumps 21 and 22 supply air to each actuator included in the body positioning actuator 10. Specifically, pump 21 supplies air to the upper first body positioning actuator 11A and the upper second body positioning actuator 12A. Pump 22 supplies air to the lower first body positioning actuator 11B, the lower second body positioning actuator 12B, and the third body positioning actuator 13. One pump may supply air to all of the upper first body positioning actuator 11A, the lower first body positioning actuator 11B, the upper second body positioning actuator 12A, the lower second body positioning actuator 12B, and the third body positioning actuator 13, or one pump may supply air to each actuator. The combination of pumps and actuators can be set as appropriate.

[0051] Solenoid valves 31 to 35 open or close the air supply passage between pumps 21 and 22 and the body position change actuator 10, according to the control device 100. Specifically, solenoid valve 31 opens or closes the air supply passage between pump 21 and the upper first body position change actuator 11A, according to the control device 100. Solenoid valve 32 opens or closes the air supply passage between pump 21 and the upper second body position change actuator 12A, according to the control device 100. Solenoid valve 33 opens or closes the air supply passage between pump 22 and the lower first body position change actuator 11B, according to the control device 100. Solenoid valve 34 opens or closes the air supply passage between pump 22 and the lower second body position change actuator 12B, according to the control device 100. Solenoid valve 35 opens or closes the air supply passage between pump 22 and the third body position change actuator 13, according to the control device 100.

[0052] The control device 100 is a computing unit (computer) that executes various processes by running various programs, and controls the supply of air to the first body position change actuator 11, the second body position change actuator 12, and the third body position change actuator 13 by controlling the solenoid valves 31 to 35.

[0053] The control device 100 is composed of a processor such as a microcontroller, a CPU (central processing unit), or an MPU (micro-processing unit). While the processor, as an example of the control device 100, has the function of executing various processes by executing a program, some or all of these functions may be implemented using dedicated hardware circuits such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The term "processor" is not limited to processors that execute processing using a stored-program method, such as a CPU or MPU, but may also include hardwired circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs. Therefore, the "processor," as an example of the control device 100, can also be interpreted as a processing circuitry in which processing is predefined by computer-readable code and / or hardwired circuits. The control device 100 may consist of one chip or multiple chips. Furthermore, some or all of the functions of the control device 100 may be provided in a server device (for example, a cloud-type server device) not shown in the diagram. Furthermore, the control device 100 may include volatile memory such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), non-volatile memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) or flash memory, and storage devices such as SSD (solid state drive) or HDD (hard disk drive).

[0054] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the control of the control device 100 regarding the supply of air to the body position change actuators 10. In Figure 8, following the example in Figure 1, the control of each actuator is shown from the initial body position (supine position) through the intermediate position to the final body position (prone position). As shown in Figure 8, the control device 100 first supplies air to the upper second body position change actuator 12A and the lower second body position change actuator 12B during period T1. This causes the second body position change actuators 12 to inflate, preparing them to receive the human body.

[0055] During period T2, the control device 100 supplies air to the upper first positional change actuator 11A. At this time, the control device 100 supplies a small amount of air (for example, half) so that the upper first positional change actuator 11A does not expand to its maximum extent. As a result, the upper first positional change actuator 11A expands partially (for example, half). The air pressure of the upper first positional change actuator 11A causes at least a small portion of the upper body of the person in contact with the upper first positional change actuator 11A to rise slightly.

[0056] During period T3, the control device 100 supplies air to the lower first positional change actuator 11B. At this time, the control device 100 supplies a small amount of air (for example, half) so that the lower first positional change actuator 11B does not expand to its maximum extent. As a result, the lower first positional change actuator 11B expands partially (for example, half). The air pressure of the lower first positional change actuator 11B causes at least a small portion of the lower half of the human body in contact with the lower first positional change actuator 11B to rise slightly.

[0057] During period T4, the control device 100 supplies air to the upper first positional change actuator 11A. At this time, the control device 100 supplies the remaining air (for example, the remaining half) so that the upper first positional change actuator 11A expands to its maximum extent. As a result, the upper first positional change actuator 11A expands to its maximum extent. The air pressure from the upper first positional change actuator 11A causes at least a portion of the upper body of the person in contact with the upper first positional change actuator 11A to rise further. As a result, the upper body of the person tilts toward the direction where the upper second positional change actuator 12A is located, gradually changing the position from supine to lateral.

[0058] Furthermore, during period T4, the control device 100 supplies air to the third body positioning actuator 13. This causes the third body positioning actuator 13 to inflate, preparing it to support the human body.

[0059] During period T5, the control device 100 supplies air to the lower first positional change actuator 11B. At this time, the control device 100 supplies the remaining air (for example, the remaining half) so that the lower first positional change actuator 11B expands to its maximum extent. As a result, the lower first positional change actuator 11B expands to its maximum extent. The air pressure of the lower first positional change actuator 11B causes at least a portion of the lower body of the person in contact with the lower first positional change actuator 11B to rise further. As a result, the lower body of the person tilts toward the position of the lower second positional change actuator 12B, further changing the person's position from supine to lateral.

[0060] During the positional change in periods T4 and T5, the upper body of the human body comes into contact with the upper second positional change actuator 12A, which is already inflated. As a result, the upper body of the human body is supported by the upper second positional change actuator 12A. The upper second positional change actuator 12A, which is supporting the upper body of the human body, is deflated by the load it receives from the upper body and slowly contracts. The lower body of the human body comes into contact with the lower second positional change actuator 12B, which is already inflated. As a result, the lower body of the human body is supported by the lower second positional change actuator 12B. The lower second positional change actuator 12B, which is supporting the lower body of the human body, is deflated by the load it receives from the lower body and slowly contracts.

[0061] Furthermore, when a person changes position from supine to lateral, their body comes into contact with the already inflated third positional change actuator 13. As a result, at least a portion of the changed body is supported by the third positional change actuator 13, allowing the person being cared for to maintain a posture that facilitates breathing during the positional change.

[0062] Subsequently, during period T6, the upper first position change actuator 11A and the lower first position change actuator 11B are vented and slowly contract. Furthermore, the third position change actuator 13, which supports the upper body of the human body, is vented by the load received from the upper body of the human body and slowly contracts. As a result, with the position change actuators 10 vented, the human body is in a prone position (final position).

[0063] In this manner, of the upper first positional change actuator 11A and the lower first positional change actuator 11B, the upper first positional change actuator 11A, which is located on the upper half of the body, inflates first, followed by the lower first positional change actuator 11B, which is located on the lower half of the body. As a result, the body is raised in stages, starting with the upper body and then the lower body, so that the body transfer device 1 can change the position of the person being cared for from supine to lateral, while ensuring the airway of the person being cared for is open and without compressing the chest.

[0064] Furthermore, the upper first position-changing actuator 11A and the lower first position-changing actuator 11B do not inflate to their maximum extent in a short time, but rather inflate gradually by supplying air alternately multiple times. As a result, the person gradually rises, and the person-to-body transfer device 1 can change the person's position from supine to lateral while reducing the burden on the person being cared for. Note that the control device 100 is not limited to supplying air alternately to the upper first position-changing actuator 11A and the lower first position-changing actuator 11B twice, but may supply air alternately three or more times.

[0065] <Embodiment 2> The human body movement device 2 according to Embodiment 2 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 9 to 13. Note that the same or corresponding parts in the figures are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated in principle.

[0066] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating an application example of the human body movement device 2 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 9, the human body movement device 2 according to Embodiment 2 is configured to move a person lying on a bed or the like horizontally on the bed. For example, Figure 9 shows an example in which the human body movement device 2 moves a person horizontally using a horizontal movement actuator 70.

[0067] The horizontal movement actuator 70 comprises a human body drive actuator, a human body receiving side cushioning actuator, and an intermediate body position actuator. Specifically, the horizontal movement actuator 70 comprises first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, and 71C, and second horizontal movement actuators 72A and 72B. The first horizontal movement actuator 71A and the second horizontal movement actuator 72A are examples of human body drive actuators. The first horizontal movement actuator 71C is an example of a human body receiving side cushioning actuator. The first horizontal movement actuator 71B and the second horizontal movement actuator 72B are examples of intermediate body position actuators. The first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, and 71C and the second horizontal movement actuators 72A and 72B each inflate when air (fluid) is supplied, and by holding the supplied air inside, they function as cushions for the human body. In the second embodiment, the horizontal movement actuator 70 expands using air as the "fluid," but the horizontal movement actuator 70 may also expand using a gas other than air as the "fluid."

[0068] Figure 10 shows the configuration of the horizontal movement actuator 70. As shown in Figure 10, the horizontal movement actuator 70 is formed as a sheet in which a plurality of first horizontal movement actuators 71 and at least one second horizontal movement actuator 72 are integrated, and can be placed on the underside of a person lying down (for example, on the back side of a person lying on their back).

[0069] The multiple first horizontal movement actuators 71 include, for example, first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, and 71C. When the horizontal movement actuator 70 is placed on the underside of a human body (for example, on the back side of a supine human body), the first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, and 71C are arranged in a line in the direction of horizontal movement of the human body.

[0070] At least one second horizontal movement actuator 72 includes, for example, second horizontal movement actuators 72A and 72B. When the horizontal movement actuator 70 is laid on the underside of the human body, at least one second horizontal movement actuator 72 is positioned between the human body and the multiple first horizontal movement actuators 71. Furthermore, when the horizontal movement actuator 70 is laid on the underside of the human body, the second horizontal movement actuators 72A and 72B are positioned between the human body and the boundary between at least two first horizontal movement actuators 71. For example, the second horizontal movement actuator 72A is located on the underside of the human body and above the boundary between the first horizontal movement actuator 71A and the first horizontal movement actuator 71B. The second horizontal movement actuator 72B is located on the underside of the human body and above the boundary between the first horizontal movement actuator 71B and the first horizontal movement actuator 71C.

[0071] Furthermore, the multiple first horizontal movement actuators 71 are not limited to three actuators, such as first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, and 71C, but may consist of two or four or more actuators. Also, at least one second horizontal movement actuator 72 is not limited to two actuators, such as second horizontal movement actuators 72A and 72B, but may consist of one or three or more actuators. The second horizontal movement actuators 72 should be positioned above the boundary of the multiple first horizontal movement actuators 71 arranged side by side, and their number can be appropriately set according to the number of first horizontal movement actuators 71.

[0072] Returning to Figure 9, we will now describe an example of horizontal movement of a human body using the horizontal movement actuator 70. In Figure 9, the position of the human body before horizontal movement is referred to as the initial position (position shown in Figure 9(A)), the position of the human body during horizontal movement is referred to as the intermediate position (positions shown in Figures 9(B) to (F)), and the position of the human body after horizontal movement is referred to as the final position (position shown in Figure 9(G)). As shown in Figure 9(A), in the initial position before horizontal movement, the first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, 71C and the second horizontal movement actuators 72A, 72B are positioned on the back side of the supine human body.

[0073] The horizontal movement actuator 70 sequentially supplies air to the first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, 71C and the second horizontal movement actuators 72A, 72B in the direction in which the human body is to be moved horizontally. Specifically, first, as shown in Figure 9(B), air is supplied to the first horizontal movement actuator 71A, and the supplied air causes the first horizontal movement actuator 71A to inflate. The air pressure from the first horizontal movement actuator 71A applies a force to the human body in a predetermined direction (to the left in the example of Figure 9), causing at least a portion of the second horizontal movement actuator 72A, which is in contact with the first horizontal movement actuator 71A, to lift. Furthermore, at least a portion of the right side of the human body, which is in contact with the second horizontal movement actuator 72A, is lifted. As a result, the human body moves horizontally to the left. Subsequently, the first horizontal movement actuator 71A is deflated by the load received from the human body and slowly deflates.

[0074] As shown in Figure 9(C), in an intermediate position during human movement, air is supplied to the second horizontal movement actuator 72A, which is in contact with the first horizontal movement actuator 71A, causing the second horizontal movement actuator 72A to inflate. The air pressure from the second horizontal movement actuator 72A applies a force to the human body in a predetermined direction (to the left in the example of Figure 9), causing at least a portion of the right side of the human body in contact with the second horizontal movement actuator 72A to lift further. As a result, the human body moves horizontally toward the left. Subsequently, the second horizontal movement actuator 72A is deflated by the load received from the human body and slowly deflates.

[0075] As shown in Figure 9(D), in an intermediate position during human movement, air is supplied to the first horizontal movement actuator 71B, which is positioned next to the first horizontal movement actuator 71A, causing the first horizontal movement actuator 71B to inflate. The supply of air from the first horizontal movement actuator 71B applies further force to the human body, causing it to move further in a predetermined direction (to the left in the example of Figure 9). Specifically, the air pressure from the first horizontal movement actuator 71B lifts at least a portion of the second horizontal movement actuator 72B, which is in contact with the first horizontal movement actuator 71B. Furthermore, as a result of the second horizontal movement actuator 72B lifting, at least a portion of the right side of the human body in contact with the second horizontal movement actuator 72B is lifted. As a result, the human body moves horizontally to the left. Subsequently, the first horizontal movement actuator 71B is deflated by the load received from the human body and slowly deflates.

[0076] As shown in Figure 9(E), in an intermediate position during the movement of the human body, air is supplied to the second horizontal movement actuator 72B, which is in contact with the first horizontal movement actuator 71B, and the supplied air causes the second horizontal movement actuator 72B to inflate. The supply of air from the second horizontal movement actuator 72B applies further force to the human body, causing it to move further in a predetermined direction (to the left in the example of Figure 9). Specifically, the air pressure of the second horizontal movement actuator 72B causes at least a portion of the right side of the human body that is in contact with the second horizontal movement actuator 72B to lift further. As a result, the human body moves horizontally toward the left. Subsequently, the second horizontal movement actuator 72B is deflated by the load received from the human body and slowly deflates.

[0077] As shown in Figure 9(F), in an intermediate position during human movement, air is supplied to the first horizontal movement actuator 71C, which is positioned next to the first horizontal movement actuator 71B, causing the first horizontal movement actuator 71C to inflate. The first horizontal movement actuator 71C supports the gravitational force acting on the human body while supplied with air or while deforming due to the supply of air, and as the air is gradually released, it supports the human body and moves it to the final position after horizontal movement. Specifically, the air pressure of the first horizontal movement actuator 71C lifts at least a portion of the second horizontal movement actuator 72B, which is in contact with the first horizontal movement actuator 71C. Furthermore, as a result of the second horizontal movement actuator 72B lifting, at least a portion of the right side of the human body in contact with the second horizontal movement actuator 72B lifts. As a result, the human body moves horizontally toward the left. Subsequently, the first horizontal movement actuator 71C is deflated by the load received from the human body and slowly deflates.

[0078] As shown in Figure 9(G), when each actuator of the horizontal movement actuator 70 is compressed by the load received from the human body, the human body remains in a position to the left of its original position shown in Figure 9(A).

[0079] In this way, the human body transfer device 2 can move a person horizontally by supplying air to a horizontal movement actuator 70 placed on the back of a person lying supine. Specifically, the human body transfer device 2 lifts and moves the person horizontally using a plurality of first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, and 71C arranged adjacent to each other, and increases the amount of horizontal movement of the person using second horizontal movement actuators 72A and 72B provided at the boundaries of the plurality of first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, and 71C. By moving a person being cared for horizontally using such a human body transfer device 2, the person can be moved without causing any impact to the body, thus reducing the burden on both the caregiver and the person being cared for.

[0080] Although Figure 9 shows an example where the human body movement device 1 moves the human body horizontally to the left, the human body movement device 1 can also move the human body horizontally to the right by supplying air in the order of the first horizontal movement actuator 71C, the first horizontal movement actuator 71B, and the first horizontal movement actuator 71A.

[0081] The first horizontal movement actuator 71 described above has a triangular prism shape, similar to the triangular prism actuators 51 and 52 shown in Figures 3(A), (C) and 4, and is made of plastic film, similar to the triangular prism actuators 51 and 52.

[0082] The first horizontal movement actuator 71 is positioned so that the inclined surfaces of the triangular prism actuators 51 and 52, which are formed into triangular prisms by the supply of air, come into contact with the human body. Specifically, as shown in Figures 9(C) to (F), the first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, and 71C, after the supply of air, have a triangular cross-sectional shape when viewed from the head side of the human body. In other words, the first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, and 71C, after the supply of air, have inclined surfaces facing the direction of horizontal movement of the human body. Therefore, the horizontal movement actuator 71, after the supply of air, can gently move the human body horizontally while the inclined surface formed by the expansion lifts the human body.

[0083] Figure 11 shows the configuration of the second horizontal movement actuator 72. Figure 11(A) shows an exploded view of the second horizontal movement actuator 72. As shown in Figure 11(A), the second horizontal movement actuator 72 is composed of four plastic films 721 to 724.

[0084] As shown in Figures 11(B) and (C), the second horizontal movement actuator 72 is formed by heat-pressing four plastic films 721 to 724 together to form a bag, and then expands using supplied air to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The second horizontal movement actuator 72 is not limited to four plastic films 721 to 724; it may also be formed by folding a single plastic film, or by heat-pressing a different number of plastic films together. Furthermore, the second horizontal movement actuator 72 has an intake and exhaust port 728 made of plastic film.

[0085] The thickness of the plastic film constituting the first horizontal movement actuator 71 and the second horizontal movement actuator 72 is set to be relatively small, for example, about 10 mm. Therefore, even when the first horizontal movement actuator 71 and the second horizontal movement actuator 72 are placed on the underside of the human body, the person being cared for can use them without discomfort.

[0086] Furthermore, the first horizontal movement actuator 71 and the second horizontal movement actuator 72 are not limited to being made of plastic film, but may be made of other materials such as rubber. However, if the first horizontal movement actuator 71 and the second horizontal movement actuator 72 are made of plastic film, the human body movement device 2 can be manufactured at a lower cost than if they are made of rubber or the like. Also, if the first horizontal movement actuator 71 and the second horizontal movement actuator 72 are made of plastic film, they can be made lighter and more flexible than if they are made of rubber or the like, so that the first horizontal movement actuator 71 and the second horizontal movement actuator 72 can be inflated at a lower pressure. As a result, the time required to inflate or contract the first horizontal movement actuator 71 and the second horizontal movement actuator 72 can be shortened. Furthermore, since the pumps 81 and 82, which will be described later, for supplying air to the first horizontal movement actuator 71 and the second horizontal movement actuator 72 can be miniaturized, the entire system of the human body movement device 2 can be miniaturized.

[0087] Figure 12 is a diagram showing the configuration of the human body movement device 2 according to Embodiment 2. As shown in Figure 12, the human body movement device 2 comprises a horizontal movement actuator 70, pumps 81 and 82, solenoid valves 91 to 95, and a control device 200.

[0088] As described above, the horizontal movement actuator 70 includes a first horizontal movement actuator 71 and a second horizontal movement actuator 72. For example, in the example shown in Figure 12, the horizontal movement actuator 70 includes first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, and 71C as the first horizontal movement actuator 71, and second horizontal movement actuators 72A and 72B as the second horizontal movement actuator 72.

[0089] Pumps 81 and 82 supply air to each actuator included in the horizontal movement actuator 70. Specifically, pump 81 supplies air to the first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71C and the second horizontal movement actuator 72B. Pump 82 supplies air to the first horizontal movement actuator 71B and the second horizontal movement actuator 72A. Alternatively, one pump may supply air to all of the first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, 71C and the second horizontal movement actuators 72A, 72B, or one pump may supply air to each actuator. The combination of pumps and actuators can be set as appropriate.

[0090] Solenoid valves 91 to 95 open or close the air supply passage between pumps 81 and 82 and the horizontal movement actuator 70, according to the control of the control device 200. Specifically, solenoid valve 91 opens or closes the air supply passage between pump 81 and the second horizontal movement actuator 72B, according to the control of the control device 200. Solenoid valve 92 opens or closes the air supply passage between pump 81 and the first horizontal movement actuator 71A, according to the control of the control device 200. Solenoid valve 93 opens or closes the air supply passage between pump 81 and the first horizontal movement actuator 71C, according to the control of the control device 200. Solenoid valve 94 opens or closes the air supply passage between pump 82 and the second horizontal movement actuator 72A, according to the control of the control device 200. Solenoid valve 95 opens or closes the air supply passage between pump 82 and the first horizontal movement actuator 71B, according to the control of the control device 200.

[0091] The control device 200 is a computing unit (computer) that performs various processes by executing various programs, and controls the supply of air to the first horizontal movement actuator 71 and the second horizontal movement actuator 72 by controlling the solenoid valves 91 to 95.

[0092] The control device 200 is composed of a processor such as a microcontroller, CPU, or MPU. While a processor, as an example of the control device 200, has the function of executing various processes by running a program, some or all of these functions may be implemented using dedicated hardware circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs. The term "processor" is not limited to processors in the narrow sense that execute processing using a stored-program method, such as CPUs or MPUs, but may also include hardwired circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs. Therefore, a "processor," as an example of the control device 200, can also be interpreted as a processing circuit whose processing is predefined by computer-readable code and / or hardwired circuits. The control device 200 may consist of one chip or multiple chips. Furthermore, some or all of the functions of the control device 200 may be provided in a server device (e.g., a cloud-type server device) not shown in the diagram. Additionally, the control device 200 may include volatile memory such as DRAM or SRAM, non-volatile memory such as ROM or flash memory, and storage devices such as SSDs or HDDs.

[0093] Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the control of the air supply to the horizontal movement actuator 70 by the control device 200. In Figure 13, following the example in Figure 9, the control of each actuator is shown from the initial position (position before horizontal movement) through the intermediate position to the final position (position after horizontal movement) of the human body. As shown in Figure 13, the control device 200 first supplies air to the first horizontal movement actuator 71A during period T1. As a result, the first horizontal movement actuator 71A inflates, lifting at least a portion of the right side of the human body, and the human body moves horizontally toward the left side. The first horizontal movement actuator 71A is deflated by the load received from the human body and slowly deflates.

[0094] During period T2, the control device 200 supplies air to the second horizontal movement actuator 72A. This causes the second horizontal movement actuator 72A to inflate, lifting at least a portion of the right side of the human body, and causing the human body to move horizontally toward the left. The second horizontal movement actuator 72A is then deflated slowly by the load it receives from the human body.

[0095] During period T3, the control device 200 supplies air to the first horizontal movement actuator 71B. This causes the first horizontal movement actuator 71B to inflate, lifting at least a portion of the right side of the human body, and causing the human body to move horizontally toward the left. The first horizontal movement actuator 71B is then deflated by the load from the human body and slowly deflates.

[0096] During period T4, the control device 200 supplies air to the second horizontal movement actuator 72B. This causes the second horizontal movement actuator 72B to inflate, lifting at least a portion of the right side of the human body, and causing the human body to move horizontally toward the left. The second horizontal movement actuator 72B is then deflated by the load from the human body and slowly deflates.

[0097] During period T5, the control device 200 supplies air to the first horizontal movement actuator 71C. This causes the first horizontal movement actuator 71C to inflate, lifting at least a portion of the right side of the human body, and causing the human body to move horizontally toward the left. The first horizontal movement actuator 71C is deflated by the load from the human body and slowly deflates. During period T6, as each actuator of the horizontal movement actuator 70 deflates, the human body remains in a position to the left of its original position.

[0098] Subsequently, during period T6, the first horizontal movement actuators 71A, 71B, 71C and the second horizontal movement actuators 72A, 72B are gradually vented and slowly retracted.

[0099] In this way, the human body transfer device 2 can gently move a person horizontally while lifting them by supplying air in the order of the first horizontal movement actuator 71 and the second horizontal movement actuator 72. As a result, the human body transfer device 2 can move a person horizontally while reducing the burden on the person being cared for.

[0100] <Embodiment 3> A human body movement device according to Embodiment 3 will now be described in detail. The human body movement device according to Embodiment 3 includes a body position changing actuator 10, which is part of the human body movement device 1 according to Embodiment 1, and a horizontal movement actuator 70, which is part of the human body movement device 2 according to Embodiment 2.

[0101] When changing a person's position within the limited space on a bed, it is necessary to first move the person horizontally to one end of the bed, and then change their position toward the other end. For this reason, the person movement device according to Embodiment 3, as shown in Figure 9, first uses the horizontal movement actuator 70 to move the person horizontally to one end of the bed, and then, as shown in Figures 1(A) and 2, changes the person's position toward the other end of the bed.

[0102] Using the human body transfer device according to this embodiment 3, it is possible to smoothly move the person being cared for horizontally and change their position while reducing the burden on both the caregiver and the person being cared for.

[0103] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of this disclosure is indicated by the claims rather than by the description of the embodiments above, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended to be included. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0104] 1,2 Human body transfer device, 10 Position change actuator, 11,11A,11B First position change actuator, 12,12A,12B Second position change actuator, 13 Third position change actuator, 15 Bed, 21,22,81,82 Pump, 31,32,33,34,35,91,92,93,94,95 Solenoid valve, 51,52,53,61,62 Triangular prism actuator, 70 Horizontal movement actuator, 71,71A,71B,71C First horizontal movement actuator, 72,72A,72B Second horizontal movement actuator, 100,200 Control devices, 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, 521, 522, 523, 524, 525, 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 611, 612, 613, 614, 615, 621, 622, 623, 624, 625, 721, 722, 723, 724 Plastic films, 518, 528, 538, 618, 628 Air intake ports, 519, 529, 539, 619, 629 Exhaust ports, 728 Air intake and exhaust ports.

Claims

1. A human body movement device for moving a human body, Multiple first horizontal movement actuators that expand using the supplied fluid, The system includes a control device that controls the supply of fluid to the plurality of first horizontal actuators, The plurality of first horizontal movement actuators are arranged in a line in the direction that moves the human body horizontally. Of the plurality of first horizontal movement actuators, the boundary between at least two first horizontal movement actuators is positioned on the lower side of the human body. The control device is a human body movement device that moves the human body horizontally by sequentially supplying fluid to the plurality of first horizontal movement actuators.

2. The system further comprises at least one second horizontal moving actuator that expands using the supplied fluid, The human body movement device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second horizontal movement actuator is positioned between the human body and the boundary between the at least two first horizontal movement actuators.

3. The human body movement device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the plurality of first horizontal movement actuators, after the fluid has been supplied, have inclined surfaces toward the direction in which the human body is moved horizontally.

4. A human body drive actuator that expands using the supplied fluid, A human body receiving cushion actuator that expands using the supplied fluid, An intermediate position actuator that expands using the supplied fluid, The system further comprises a control device for controlling the supply of fluid to the human body drive actuator, the human body receiving side cushioning actuator, and the intermediate position actuator, The aforementioned human body drive actuator is positioned on one side of the human body, The human body receiving side cushioning actuator is positioned on the other side of the human body. The intermediate position actuator is positioned on the lower side of the human body. The control device is By supplying fluid to the human body drive actuator, at least a part of the human body is raised and the human body's position is changed. By supplying fluid to the aforementioned human body receiving cushioning actuator, the human body changes position and is received. The human body movement device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the human body whose position has been changed is supported by supplying fluid to the intermediate position actuator.

5. The human body movement device according to claim 4, wherein the control device supplies fluid to the human body receiving side cushioning actuator, and then supplies fluid to the human body driving actuator.

6. The human body movement device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the human body drive actuator includes an upper human body drive actuator that raises at least a part of the upper body of the human body to change the position of the human body, and a lower human body drive actuator that raises at least a part of the lower body of the human body to change the position of the human body.

7. The human body movement device according to claim 6, wherein the control device supplies fluid to the upper human body drive actuator, and then supplies fluid to the lower human body drive actuator.

8. The human body movement device according to claim 7, wherein the control device alternately supplies fluid to the upper human body drive actuator and the lower human body drive actuator multiple times.

9. The human body movement device according to claim 4, wherein the human body receiving side cushioning actuator includes an upper human body receiving side cushioning actuator that receives the upper body of the human body and a lower human body receiving side cushioning actuator that receives the lower body of the human body.

10. The human body movement device according to claim 4, wherein the human body drive actuator, after the fluid has been supplied, has an inclined surface toward the direction that changes the position of the human body.

11. The human body movement device according to claim 4, wherein the human body receiving side cushioning actuator, after the fluid has been supplied, has an inclined surface toward the direction in which the human body is received.

12. The human body movement device according to claim 4, wherein the intermediate position actuator, after the fluid has been supplied, has an inclined surface toward the direction that supports the human body.

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