Paper Title
PROPOSAL FOR U-SHARPED DOUBLE -DRIVEN BODY POSTURE CHANGE DEVICE USINGTHE TRAVELING PULLEY SYSTEM TO PULL UP THE SHEET DIAGONALLY FOR NURSING CARE

Abstract
Abstract - In this paper, we proposed and evaluated the U-shaped double-driven body posture change device using a traveling pulley system to pull the sheet up diagonally　for nursing care. The COVID-19 epidemic has led to an increase in the number of patients with impaired respiratory function and increased opportunities for physicians, nurses, physical therapists, and other healthcare professionals to reposition patients in a prone position to improve patient breathing. In changing the patient's posture to supine, about five health care workers manually change the patient's position, and even after the patient is placed in supine, the patient is changed every two hours to prevent pressure ulcers. There is not enough human effort to do this manually by medical personnel, and the physical burden is too great. In addition, the equipment on the market is expensive and requires building renovations and large spaces to use, limiting the facilities available. Our aim was to develop a device that can be easily used in the medical field, has a simple structure, is inexpensive, and can be used safely and securely. In our previous studies, we developed a repositioning device that uses traveling pulleys, ropes, and a linear actuator to pull one side of the sheet under the patient in a diagonal direction. We defined this system as a traveling pulley system that uses a rope and pulley to pull the sheet up at a diagonal angle. The first machine developed using the traveling pulley system was able to change positions with less displacement and friction between the sheet and the patient than the conventional device, the lift type. However, the amount of rotation was insufficient because the patient's rotation angle was 30deg when the device was used to reposition the patient. In order to increase the amount of rotation, the number of pulleys was doubled on the second machine, and the rotation angle could be met at 100 deg. However, the second machine had a problem with patients falling out of bed depending on the patient's initial position. We therefore propose a U-shaped double-drive system.(1) The motion capture system allowed the subject (784N) to change angles from 0° to 118°.(2) Comparing one-sided diagonal pull-up and vertical pull-up (lift) of a specimen (100 N plastic box), the load cell force waveform was more stable in the diagonal pull-up type than in the lift type.(3) When moving the subject (539N doll) to the end of the bed, the proposed mechanism can be used to raise, lower, and move the subject more comfortably than if 4 people were to move the subject manually. The proposed mechanism has the potential to reduce human effort and physical burden on medical personnel in changing positions because it can move the patient at rest, turn the patient over with less displacement and friction, and provide force support in changing positions. Keywords - Nursing Care, Prone Position Therapy, Bedsore, Body Positioning System