Apparatus for generating biological vector potential and method of operation thereof

Abstract

To provide a biological vector potential generating apparatus that is capable of suppressing the resistance and inductance of a solenoid coil and conducting a large current.SOLUTION: A biological vector potential generating apparatus 1 includes a vector potential coil 10 which is formed by winding a solenoid coil formed by winding conductors 22a to 22d connected in series with core wires 21a to 21d along substrates 30a to 30d with an insulation property. The apparatus further includes an oscillator 36 and amplifiers 31 to 34 that are connected to the oscillator 36 and connected to respective vector potential coils 10a to 10d. The vector potential coils 10a to 10d are stacked such that the central axes of the substrates 30a to 30d are aligned. By supplying current to the vector potential coils 10a to 10d connected to the amplifiers 31 to 34, a vector potential is generated within the internal space.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bio-vector potential generation device capable of generating a vector potential and a method of operating the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a vector potential generation device that generates a vector potential using a solenoid coil that extends along a spirally wound coil axis (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Here, vector potential is not a scalar quantity such as electric potential, but a potential that has directionality, and is a unified concept that includes electric fields and magnetic fields. Furthermore, a bio-vector potential generation device that applies a vector potential to a living body using such a vector potential coil has also been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6205572 [Patent Document 2] JP 2020-58523 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the bio-vector potential generation device described above, the solenoid coil wound with a small coil diameter extends along the coil axis that is wound in a spiral shape, so the conductor wire that makes up the solenoid coil is long and the conductor wire itself is thin. This increases the resistance and inductance of the solenoid coil. When the AC resistance, or inductance, increases in this way, it becomes difficult to conduct a large AC current through the solenoid coil, and ultimately makes it difficult to generate a strong vector potential.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a bio-vector potential generation device and an operation method thereof that can suppress the AC resistance, i.e., inductance, of a solenoid coil and at the same time conduct a large current. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) A bio-vector potential generation device according to one embodiment for achieving the above object is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of vector potential coils constituted by winding a solenoid coil, formed by winding a conductor connected in series to a core wire around an insulating cylindrical base, has a drive unit constituted by including an oscillator and an amplifier connected to each of the plurality of vector potential coils, the vector potential coils are stacked so that at least the central axes of the bases coincide, and a vector potential is generated in the internal space by passing a current from the amplifier through the core wire and conductor of the vector potential coil connected to each amplifier. (2) A bio-vector potential generation device according to another embodiment for achieving the above object is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of vector potential coils constituted by winding a solenoid coil, formed by winding a conductor connected in series to a core wire around an insulating cylindrical base, has a drive unit connected in common to the plurality of vector potential coils and constituted by including an oscillator and an amplifier, the vector potential coils are stacked so that at least the central axes of the bases coincide, and a vector potential is generated in the internal space by passing a current from the amplifier through the core wire and conductor of each vector potential coil connected to the drive unit. (3) In a bio-vector potential generation device according to another embodiment, it is preferable that the solenoid coil is wound around an insulating base. (4) In a bio-vector potential generation device according to another embodiment, it is preferable that the core wire and / or the conductor is made of a conductive material that has soft magnetic properties. (5) In a bio-vector potential generation device according to another embodiment, it is preferable that the number of turns of each of the multiple vector potential coils is the same. (6) In a bio-vector potential generation device according to another embodiment, it is preferable that the conductors of each of the multiple vector potential coils are wound along the base around which the solenoid coil is wound in a loop, with the winding direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) being the same with respect to the direction of current flow, and with the same number of turns. (7) In the bio-vector potential generation device according to another embodiment, it is preferable that the base body is cylindrical. (8) A bio-vector potential generation device according to another embodiment for achieving the above object is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of vector potential coils formed by winding a solenoid coil, formed of a conductor connected in series to a core wire around an insulating cylindrical base, and has a drive unit constituted by including an oscillator and an amplifier connected to each of the plurality of vector potential coils, the vector potential coils being arranged concentrically or linearly, and a vector potential is generated in the internal space by passing a current from the amplifier through the core wire and conductor of the vector potential coil connected to each amplifier. (9) In a bio-vector potential generation device according to another embodiment, preferably, the base body may be removed from the vector potential generation device described above. (10) To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, a method of operating a bio-vector potential generation device according to one embodiment involves using the bio-vector potential generation device to hold a living organism or part of a living organism in the internal space, and passing a current of a predetermined frequency from the oscillator to a vector potential coil, thereby generating an electric field within the internal space along the axial direction of the internal space, thereby passing an alternating current to a predetermined site on the living organism or part of a living organism, thereby performing electrical stimulation. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vector potential generation device that creates a substantially magnetic field-free state within the internal space formed by the winding structure of the vector potential coil, and generates a vector potential within that internal space, and that suppresses the resistance and inductance of the solenoid coil while at the same time allowing a large current to pass through. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(a) is a diagram showing an example of a bio-vector potential generation device according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 1(b) is a diagram showing the structure of a drive unit. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the vector potential coils of the generation device shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a bio-vector potential generation device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a bio-vector potential generation device according to a third embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a bio-vector potential generation device according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Below, a bio-vector potential generation device according to one aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] <Bio-vector potential generator> [First embodiment]: When the base body is cylindrical and there are four vector potential coils FIG. 1(a) is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of a bio-vector potential generation device according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 1(b) is a diagram showing the structure of a drive unit. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a vector potential coil. This bio-vector potential generation device 1 is configured with four vector potential coils 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d, four amplifiers 31, 32, 33, and 34, and an oscillator 36. Vector potential coil 10a is connected to amplifier 31, vector potential coil 10b is connected to amplifier 32, vector potential coil 10c is connected to amplifier 33, and vector potential coil 10d is connected to amplifier 34. Amplifiers 31, 32, 33, and 34 are connected to oscillator 36. The four vector potential coils 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d have the same number of windings (number of turns), and oscillator 36 distributes and supplies AC signals of the same frequency to amplifiers 31, 32, 33, and 34. Amplifiers 31, 32, 33, and 34 amplify the AC signal from oscillator 36 to generate a voltage with a specific waveform, and supply a current with a specific waveform to vector potential coils 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d, respectively. This oscillator 36 and amplifiers 31, 32, 33, and 34 function as a driver 20 (see FIG. 1(b)) for supplying current to vector potential coils 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d.

[0011] [First stage vector potential coil 10a and amplifier 31] As shown in FIG. 2, for example, the vector potential coil 10a includes a solenoid coil (basic wire) 20a formed by winding a conductor (outer wire) 22a in a spiral shape with no gaps around a core wire 21a (having an insulating coating) as the winding axis, and a base body (rectangular tube) 30a. Note that winding clockwise from the start of the winding (tip) is called "right-handed winding," and winding counterclockwise from the start of the winding (tip) is called "left-handed winding." In this embodiment, the winding is left-handed. The vector potential coil 10a further includes a tube portion 40 formed by winding the solenoid coil 20a in a loop shape around the base body 30a. One end P1 of the core wire 21a is electrically connected to one end P2 of the conductor 22a, and the other end P3 of the core wire 21a is connected to one end of the amplifier 31 via a lead wire 212a. The other end P4 of the conductor 22a is connected to the other end of the amplifier 31 via a lead wire 222a. Furthermore, the core wire 21a and the conductor 22a are not limited to being separate conductors, but may be a single conductor that is folded back at point P1 (P2). In this embodiment, the base body 30a is formed in a rectangular tube shape. However, it may be formed in a cylindrical shape other than a rectangular tube shape. Although the solenoid coil 20a shown in FIG. 1(a) is wound in only one layer, it may be wound in multiple layers.

[0012] The amplifier 31 generates a voltage with a specific waveform, and conducts a current with a specific waveform that changes over time (such as an AC current, such as a sine wave, a triangular wave, or a rectangular wave, a pulse current, or a combination of these) to the core wire 21a and the conductor 22a via the lead wire 212a and the lead wire 222a. For example, the amplifier 31 functions as a high-frequency power source of about 1 kHz to 1 GHz. A frequency band in which the skin effect is particularly noticeable, particularly a band of 100 kHz to 1 GHz, is preferable. Also, for example, the amplifier 31 may continuously conduct an AC current of a predetermined frequency to the core wire 21a and the conductor 22a, or may conduct an AC current of a predetermined frequency to the core wire 21a and the conductor 22a intermittently at a predetermined time interval or intermittently in a predetermined time series pattern.

[0013] [Second stage vector potential coil 10b and amplifier 32] The vector potential coil 10b comprises a solenoid coil (basic wire) 20b formed by winding a conductor (outer wire) 22b in a spiral shape with no gaps around the core wire 21b as the winding axis, and a base (rectangular tube) 30b. The cross section of the base 30b is rectangular, the same shape as the base 30a. The base 30b may be cylindrical in shape other than a rectangular tube shape. The central axis of this second-stage vector potential coil 10b coincides with the central axis of the first-stage vector potential coil 10a. In other words, the first-stage vector potential coil 10a is layered on the second-stage vector potential coil 10b without overlapping it. The solenoid coil 20b may also be wound in multiple layers.

[0014] Vector potential coil 10b further has a cylindrical portion 40 formed by winding this solenoid coil 20b in a loop shape around base 30b. One end P1 of core wire 21b is electrically connected to one end P2 of conductor 22b, and the other end P3 of core wire 21b is connected to one end of amplifier 32 via lead wire 212b. The other end P4 of conductor 22b is connected to the other end of amplifier 32 via lead wire 222b.

[0015] The amplifier 32 has the same function as the amplifier 31 described above, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0016] [Third stage vector potential coil 10c and amplifier 33] The vector potential coil 10c comprises a solenoid coil (basic wire) 20c formed by winding a conductor (outer wire) 22c in a spiral shape with no gaps around the core wire 21c as the winding axis, and a base (rectangular tube) 30c. The cross section of the base 30c is rectangular, the same shape as the base 30a. The base 30c may be cylindrical in shape other than a rectangular tube shape. The central axis of this third-stage vector potential coil 10c coincides with the central axes of the first-stage and second-stage vector potential coils 10a, 10b. In other words, the second-stage vector potential coil 10b is layered without overlapping the third-stage vector potential coil 10c. The solenoid coil 20c may also be wound in multiple layers.

[0017] Vector potential coil 10c further has a cylindrical portion 40 formed by winding this solenoid coil 20c in a loop shape around a base 30c. One end P1 of core wire 21c is electrically connected to one end P2 of conductor 22c, and the other end P3 of core wire 21c is connected to one end of amplifier 33 via lead wire 212c. The other end P4 of conductor 22c is connected to the other end of amplifier 33 via lead wire 222c.

[0018] The amplifier 33 has the same function as the amplifier 31 described above, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0019] [Fourth stage vector potential coil 10d and amplifier 34] The vector potential coil 10d comprises a solenoid coil (basic wire) 20d formed by winding a conductor (outer wire) 22d in a spiral shape with no gaps around the core wire 21d as the winding axis, and a base (rectangular tube) 30d. The cross section of the base 30d is rectangular, the same shape as the base 30d. The base 30d may be cylindrical in shape other than a rectangular tube. The central axis of this fourth-stage vector potential coil 10d coincides with the central axes of the first-stage, second-stage, and third-stage vector potential coils 10a, 10b, and 10c. In other words, the third-stage vector potential coil 10c is layered without overlapping the fourth-stage vector potential coil 10d. The solenoid coil 20d may also be wound in multiple layers.

[0020] Vector potential coil 10d further has a cylindrical portion 40 formed by winding this solenoid coil 20d in a loop shape around base 30d. One end P1 of core wire 21d is electrically connected to one end P2 of conductor 22d, and the other end P3 of core wire 21d is connected to one end of amplifier 34 via lead wire 212d. The other end P4 of conductor 22d is connected to the other end of amplifier 34 via lead wire 222d.

[0021] The amplifier 34 has the same function as the amplifier 31 described above, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0022] [Bio-vector potential generator in action]

[0023] The amplifier 31 applies an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency to the other end P3 of the core wire 21a and the other end P4 of the conductor 22a, causing a current I(t) to flow through the solenoid coil 20a. The amplifier 32 applies an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency to the other end P3 of the core wire 21b and the other end P4 of the conductor 22b, causing a current I(t) to flow through the solenoid coil 20b. The amplifier 33 applies an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency to the other end P3 of the core wire 21c and the other end P4 of the conductor 22a, causing a current I(t) to flow through the solenoid coil 20c. The amplifier 34 applies an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency to the other end P3 of the core wire 21d and the other end P4 of the conductor 22a, causing a current I(t) to flow through the solenoid coil 20d.

[0024] By passing a current through the solenoid coils 20a to 20d, the space within the bases 30a to 30d (inside the cylindrical portion 40) is substantially put into a magnetic field-free state, and a vector potential VP (dotted arrow in FIG. 1) is generated in that space.

[0025] <Modification> This is an example configuration in which the bases 30a-30d have been removed from the bio-vector potential generation device 1 in FIG. 1(a). If the solenoid coil 3 itself is made of a hard material, its shape will be maintained even if the "base" is not present. For this reason, even in a bio-vector potential generation device without the base, it is possible to obtain the same action and effect as the bio-vector potential generation device 1 in FIG. 1(a), that is, "the internal space formed by the winding structure of the vector potential coil can be made substantially magnetic field-free, and a vector potential can be generated in the internal space." This is because the solenoid coil 3 is spatially self-supporting, so a "base" to maintain the shape of the solenoid coil 3 does not necessarily need to be present. EXAMPLES

[0026] Next, examples of the present invention will be described in comparison with comparative examples. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0027] 1. Testing and Evaluation Methods As an example, a test was performed in which an AC current with a frequency of 200 kHz was passed from amplifiers 31 to 34 to each of the four-stage vector potential coils 10a to 10d according to the present embodiment described above, and the output voltage of the vector potential coils 10a to 10d (hereinafter referred to as the "VP coil output voltage") was measured. Note that the oscillator 36 is set to supply an AC signal of the same frequency so that the amplifiers 31 to 34 supply currents of the same value. As a comparative example, a single vector potential coil with the same number of turns as the total number of turns of the vector potential coils 10a to 10d of the example was prepared, and an AC current with a frequency of 200 kHz was passed from a single amplifier to this vector potential coil, and the output voltage of the VP coil (the voltage (electric field strength) generated within the tubular portion 40) was measured. This output voltage can be calculated based on the differential value of the current applied to the vector potential coils 10a to 10d. This calculation formula can basically be found from the winding density of the base wire, the coil diameter, and the like, as described in detail in Patent Document 1. As an example, the output voltage generated in the tubular portion 40 can be found based on equation (12) described in Patent Document 1. 2. Sample <Example sample> A bio-vector potential generator in which amplifiers 31 to 34 are connected to the following first to fourth stages of vector potential coils, respectively. (1) First stage vector potential coil Number of turns: 10 Coil impedance Z: 3.712Ω Coil (conductor) resistance Rs: 1.320Ω Coil reactance x: 3.516Ω Coil inductance Ls: 2.756μH Input current from amplifier: 1.40A Amplifier Input / Output Voltage: 5.40V (2) Second stage vector potential coil Number of turns: 10 Coil impedance Z: 3.712Ω Coil (conductor) resistance Rs: 1.320Ω Coil reactance x: 3.516Ω Coil inductance Ls: 2.756μH Input current from amplifier: 1.40A Amplifier Input / Output Voltage: 5.40V (3) Third stage vector potential coil Number of turns: 10 Coil impedance Z: 3.712Ω Coil (conductor) resistance Rs: 1.320Ω Coil reactance x: 3.516Ω Coil inductance Ls: 2.756μH Input current from amplifier: 1.40A Amplifier Input / Output Voltage: 5.40V (4) Fourth stage vector potential coil Number of turns: 10 Coil impedance Z: 3.712Ω Coil (conductor) resistance Rs: 1.320Ω Coil reactance x: 3.516Ω Coil inductance Ls: 2.756μH Input current from amplifier: 1.40A Amplifier Input / Output Voltage: 5.40V <Sample for Comparative Example> Comparative example sample: A bio-vector potential generator with a single amplifier connected to the following vector potential coil. Number of turns: 40 Coil impedance Z: 18.465Ω Coil (conductor) resistance Rs: 8.603Ω Coil reactance x: 16.337Ω Coil inductance Ls: 13.001μH Input current from amplifier: 0.35A Amplifier Input / Output Voltage: 6.65V

[0028] <Test Results> As shown in Table 1 below, in a bio-vector potential generation device including a vector potential coil according to the comparative example, the VP coil output voltage was 8.3 mV. Meanwhile, the VP coil output voltages of vector potential coils 10a to 10d were each 7 mV, for a total of 28 mV.

[0029] Therefore, in the bio-vector potential generating device 1 according to this embodiment, an output voltage of 28 mV was obtained while securing 40 turns. On the other hand, in the comparative example, when 40 turns were secured, an output voltage of only 8.3 mV was obtained. The reason for this is that in the comparative example, the resistance and inductance of 40 turns are large, and even if the voltage (current) supplied from the amplifier is increased, an output voltage above a certain level cannot be obtained. The inventors focused on this point, and in the bio-vector potential generating device 1 according to this embodiment, the vector potential coil is configured in four stages of 10 turns each, thereby suppressing the resistance and inductance of each stage, while supplying the same value of current from different amplifiers to each stage, thereby obtaining the desired output voltage. In addition, since it is formed by stacking cylindrical bases, the internal space can be made larger, and the internal capacity of the base can be increased. Note that the experiment was performed using a four-stage vector potential coil, but if a larger vector potential is desired, the number of turns can be increased further by using, for example, a five or more stage vector potential coil. On the other hand, if a smaller vector potential is desired, the number of turns can be reduced further by using, for example, a two- or three-stage vector potential coil.

[0030] [Table 1]

[0031] [How it works] A tube section 40 (internal space) that holds a living body or a part of a living body (upper limbs, lower limbs, or torso) is formed inside the biovector potential generation device. By holding a predetermined part of the living body inside the tube section 40 and passing a current of a predetermined frequency from the oscillator 36 through the four vector potential coils, an electric field is generated along the axial direction of the tube section 40 in a non-contact manner without generating a magnetic field inside the tube section 40. Furthermore, in a part of the living body, such as the upper limbs, lower limbs, or torso, a current flows from a location where the electric field is strong to a location where it is weak, within a position within this electric field. This makes it possible to apply a predetermined electrical stimulation to a predetermined living body part.

[0032] In the operating method of the present disclosure, the disease to be treated is not particularly limited, but preferred examples of the treatment include diseases related to bones or joints. For example, the method may be used to treat conditions involving widespread overactive or inappropriate bone growth, such as rheumatoid arthritis, fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), diffuse idiopathic osteophytosis (DISH), ankylosing spondylitis, and heterotopic ossification. Some treatments may be used for removing bone masses in conditions involving tumorous bone formation, such as osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, osteoblastoma, and osteoid osteoma, or bone tumors.

[0033] Similarly, it may be used to remove bone spurs (i.e., "bone spurs") that form in the legs, shoulders, neck, spine, etc. as a result of chronic osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, reactive arthritis, rotator cuff injuries, plantar fasciitis, spondylosis, and / or spinal stenosis.

[0034] Another preferred treatment target includes ligament injury. The joints of the body are supported by ligaments. Ligaments are tough bands of connective tissue that connect bones to other bones. A sprain is a simple stretch or tear of a ligament. The most common areas for sprains are the ankle, knee and wrist. The mildest sprains are cured by rest, ice, compression, fisting and exercise and / or physical therapy. Moderate sprains may also require a period of immobilization. Severe sprains may require surgery to repair torn ligaments.

[0035] Other treatment targets include diabetes, gastritis, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel, hemorrhoids; bronchial asthma including colds, tonsillitis, sinusitis, chronic bronchitis, etc.; cardiovascular diseases including phlebitis, endarteritis, and varicose veins; mental disorders such as depression, aggression, anxiety, and stress, as well as brain and mental disorders including Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, migraine, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and other degenerative brain disorders, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, hyperactivity, learning failure, etc. Furthermore, it is also used to treat urogenital conditions such as menstrual irregularities, infertility, endometritis, and endometriosis in women, and orchitis, prostatitis, and oligospermia in men. Furthermore, it can be applied to the treatment of skin diseases or cosmetic treatments in living organisms. In particular, it is expected to be used to treat acne, hyperhidrosis, and to treat burns and sutures on skin after surgery. In addition, the present invention relates to myopia, ophthalmic diseases, such as ptosis, entropion, lagophthalmos, styes, chalazions, blepharospasm, malignant eyelid tumors, conjunctivitis, dermoids, subconjunctival hemorrhage, pinguecula, malignant lymphoma, scleritis, scleromalacia, keratitis, keratoconus, pterygium, granular corneal degeneration, erosive corneal ulcer, uveitis, cataracts, crystalline lens dislocation, exfoliation syndrome, vitreous hemorrhage, astrocytosis, persistent primary vitreous hyperplasia, glaucoma, ocular hypertension, retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, retinal artery occlusion, retinal vein occlusion, retinitis pigmentosa, retinoschisis, macular hole, vitreous detachment, vitreous vein occlusion ... It can also be used to treat epiretinal membrane, Coats' disease, familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, acute retinal necrosis, cytomegalovirus retinitis, retinopathy of prematurity, retinoblastoma, optic neuritis, optic nerve hypoplasia, Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy, optic duct fracture, multiple sclerosis, Devic's disease, pituitary tumor, cerebral infarction, dry eye, dacryocystitis, nasolacrimal duct obstruction, canaliculitis, myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, presbyopia, strabismus, inferior oblique hypermobility, Duane syndrome, oculomotor nerve palsy, abducens nerve palsy, Horner's syndrome, Adie syndrome, traumatic mydriasis, color vision disorder, myasthenia gravis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and thyroid eye disease.

[0036] Some of these effects may be, for example, in the central nervous system, by synthesizing neurochemicals necessary for the transmission of impulses or commands at the synaptic level and improving the electrical activity of these cells, thereby improving the efficiency of brain cells. Other effects may help to slow down the aging process, due to their ability to stabilize genes and prevent the activity of oxygen free radicals formed in cells. The effects on articular cartilage will be described in detail in the examples below.

[0037] Also, as a preventative treatment before surgery, VP treatment of the upper abdomen can increase blood perfusion to the body's extremities and reduce inflammatory responses to injury. Preoperative treatment of surgical sites has also been shown to accelerate healing. In addition, it can reduce or alleviate symptoms of postoperative recovery nausea, motion sickness, or other forms of nausea, such as vomiting.

[0038] In other embodiments, it may be used as an adjunct to other treatments including cell transplants, engineered scaffolds, and / or growth factors, or to treat cartilage defects and prevent tumor metastasis. In another embodiment, the present invention can be applied to a cell preservation and culture device that can efficiently mass-culture stem cells in an artificial environment for the proliferation of target cells or organs from stem cells in a culture dish in regenerative medicine for treating angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, etc., by generating angiogenesis from bone marrow-derived stem cells, and then transplanting the stem cells into humans. In other embodiments, they may also be used to increase bone density in preparing bone to receive dental or orthopedic implants, and in treating bone gaps such as alveolar defects, adjacent sites of alveolar bone, or bone defects caused by surgery, trauma, or disease.

[0039] In yet other embodiments, it may also be used for similar purposes in non-humans in the veterinary field, including non-human mammals, for example companion animals such as dogs and cats, and horses, particularly race horses.

[0040] [Second embodiment] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 3. In the first embodiment described above, an amplifier was provided for each of the four vector potential coils, but as shown in Fig. 3, it is also possible to connect the four vector potential coils in parallel and connect them to a single amplifier 41. In this case, the output of amplifier 41 needs to generate an output voltage that is greater than the individual output voltages of amplifiers 31, 32, 33, and 34.

[0041] A bio-vector potential generation device 45 according to the second embodiment is configured with four vector potential coils 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d, four amplifiers 41, and an oscillator 46. The vector potential coils 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d are connected to the amplifier 41. The amplifier 41 is connected to the oscillator 46. The four vector potential coils 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d have the same number of windings (number of turns), and the oscillator 46 supplies an AC signal according to a set frequency to the amplifier 41. The amplifier 41 amplifies the AC signal from the oscillator 46 to generate a voltage with a specific waveform, and supplies a current with a specific waveform to each of the vector potential coils 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d. The oscillator 46 and amplifier 41 function as a drive unit 20 (see FIG. 1(b)) for supplying current to the vector potential coils 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d. By supplying a current with a specific waveform from the amplifier 41 to the vector potential coils 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d, the space within the cylindrical portion 40 is made substantially magnetic field-free, and a vector potential VP (dotted arrow in FIG. 3) is generated within that space.

[0042] According to this embodiment, a vector potential VP can be generated in the internal space of the vector potential coils 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d using a single amplifier, which improves design freedom.

[0043] [Third embodiment] A third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 4. A number of cylindrical base bodies with different outer diameters are prepared, and solenoid coils 60a, 60b, 60c are wound spirally around each of the base bodies 90a, 90b, 90c, respectively, to arrange a number of vector potential coils 65a, 65b, 65c in a concentric or linear manner. The solenoid coil 60a is configured by winding a conductor 82a spirally a predetermined number of times around a core wire 81a, the solenoid coil 60b is configured by winding a conductor 82b spirally a predetermined number of times around a core wire 81b, and the solenoid coil 60c is configured by winding a conductor 82c spirally a predetermined number of times around a core wire 81c. The solenoid coils 60a, 60b, 60c may be wound in multiple layers.

[0044] The biovector potential generation device 50 is composed of three vector potential coils 65a, 65b, and 65c, three amplifiers 70, 71, and 72, and an oscillator 76. The vector potential coil 65a is connected to the amplifier 70, the vector potential coil 65b is connected to the amplifier 71, and the vector potential coil 65c is connected to the amplifier 72. The amplifiers 70, 71, and 72 are connected to an oscillator 76. The three vector potential coils 65a, 65b, and 65c have a predetermined number of windings (number of turns), and the oscillator 76 supplies an AC signal of a predetermined frequency to the amplifiers 70, 71, and 72. The amplifiers 70, 71, and 72 amplify the AC signal from the oscillator 76 to generate a voltage with a specific waveform, and supply a current of a specific waveform to the vector potential coils 65a, 65b, and 65c, respectively. This oscillator 76 and amplifiers 70, 71, and 72 function as a driver for supplying current to the vector potential coils 65a, 65b, and 65c.

[0045] The amplifier 70 applies an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency to the other end P3 of the core wire 81a and the other end P4 of the conductor 82a, causing a current I(t) to flow through the solenoid coil 60a. The amplifier 71 applies an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency to the other end P3 of the core wire 81b and the other end P4 of the conductor 82b, causing a current I(t) to flow through the solenoid coil 60b. The amplifier 72 applies an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency to the other end P3 of the core wire 81c and the other end P4 of the conductor 82a, causing a current I(t) to flow through the solenoid coil 60c. By causing a current to flow through the solenoid coils 60a-60c, the space within the bases 90a-90c is substantially put into a magnetic field-free state, and a vector potential VP is generated in that space.

[0046] According to this third embodiment, multiple vector potential coils are arranged concentrically or linearly by spirally winding solenoid coils around cylindrical base bodies with different outer diameters, so it is possible to achieve both a compact bio-vector potential generation device and a high-output vector potential.

[0047] <Modification> When the solenoid coils 60a-60c themselves are made of a hard material, the same effects as above can be obtained even with a configuration in which the bases 90a-90c are removed from the bio-vector potential generation device 50 in FIG. 4.

[0048] [Fourth embodiment] A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 5. In the third embodiment described above, an amplifier was provided for each of the three vector potential coils, but as shown in Fig. 5, it is also possible to connect the three vector potential coils in parallel and connect them to a single amplifier 75. In this case, the output of amplifier 75 needs to generate an output voltage that is greater than the output voltage of amplifiers 70, 71, and 72 alone.

[0049] The bio-vector potential generation device 52 is composed of three vector potential coils 65a, 65b, and 65c, a single amplifier 75, and an oscillator 77. The vector potential coils 65a, 65b, and 65c are connected to the amplifier 75. The amplifier 75 is connected to the oscillator 77. The three vector potential coils 65a, 65b, and 65c have a predetermined number of windings (number of turns), and the oscillator 77 supplies an AC signal of a predetermined frequency to the amplifier 75. The amplifier 75 amplifies the AC signal from the oscillator 77 to generate a voltage with a specific waveform, and supplies a current of a specific waveform to each of the vector potential coils 65a, 65b, and 65c. This oscillator 77 and amplifier 75 function as a driver for supplying current to the vector potential coils 65a, 65b, and 65c.

[0050] The amplifier 75 applies an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency to the other end P3 of the core wire 81a and the other end P4 of the conductor 82a, causing a current I(t) to flow through the solenoid coil 60a. The amplifier 71 applies an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency to the other end P3 of the core wire 81b and the other end P4 of the conductor 82b, causing a current I(t) to flow through the solenoid coil 60b. The amplifier 72 applies an AC voltage of a predetermined frequency to the other end P3 of the core wire 81c and the other end P4 of the conductor 82a, causing a current I(t) to flow through the solenoid coil 60c. By causing a current to flow through the solenoid coils 60a-60c, the space within the bases 90a-90c is substantially put into a magnetic field-free state, and a vector potential VP is generated in that space.

[0051] According to this embodiment, a vector potential VP can be generated in the internal space of the vector potential coils 10a, 10b, 10c, and 10d using a single amplifier, which improves design freedom.

[0052] In each of the above embodiments, the core wire and / or conductor constituting the solenoid coil preferably has a shape extending along the core wire and conductor, and is made of a soft magnetic material (a conductive material having soft magnetism). In particular, from the viewpoint of workability and low manufacturing cost, it is preferable that the core wire is made of a soft magnetic material, and the conductor is made of a normal copper wire or aluminum wire. Examples of soft magnetic materials include permalloy, which has electrical conductivity.

[0053] A conductive material with soft magnetic properties is one that is easily magnetized by an external magnetic field and loses its magnetism when the magnetic field is removed. Materials that have both electrical conductivity and soft magnetic properties include the following: (1) Iron and iron alloys Iron is the most common soft magnetic material, and its magnetic properties vary depending on its purity and composition. Iron alloys, which are made by adding other metals to iron, can be adjusted to have different magnetic permeability and saturation magnetic flux density. For example, electromagnetic pure iron is an alloy in which small amounts of silicon or aluminum are added to iron, and has high saturation magnetic flux density and low core loss. Specifically, soft magnetic materials that are mainly composed of Fe, Ni, or Co include pure iron, which is an iron alloy with Fe-Si system such as silicon steel, Fe-Ni system alloy such as permalloy, Fe-Co system alloy such as permendur, Fe-Si-Al system alloy such as sendust, Fe-Cr-Si system alloy, Fe-Cr-Al system alloy, various Fe system alloys such as various Ni system alloys, various Co system alloys, etc. (2) Amorphous and nanocrystalline Amorphous and nanocrystalline metals are non-crystalline or microcrystalline metals with high permeability and low core loss. Amorphous metals are made of transition metals such as iron and cobalt and non-metals such as silicon and boron, while nanocrystalline metals are made of transition metals such as iron and nickel and elements such as copper and zirconium. Specifically, Fe-based alloys such as Fe-Si-B, Fe-Si-BC, Fe-Si-B-Cr-C, Fe-Si-Cr, Fe-B, Fe-PC, Fe-Co-Si-B, Fe-Si-B-Nb, Fe-Si-B-Nb-Cu, and Fe-Zr-B, Ni-based alloys such as Ni-Si-B and Ni-PB, and Co-based alloys such as Co-Si-B.

[0054] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1, 45, 50, 52 Bio-Vector Potential Generator 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d Vector potential coil 20 Drive unit 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d Solenoid coils 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d core wire 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d Conductors 31, 32, 33, 34, 41, 70, 71, 72, 75 Amplifiers 36, 46, 76, 77 Oscillators 40 Cylinder part 81a, 81b, 81c, 81d core wire 82a, 82b, 82c, 82d Conductors

Claims

1. a plurality of vector potential coils each formed by winding a solenoid coil, in which a conductor connected in series to a core wire is wound around a winding axis of the core wire, around an insulating cylindrical base body; a drive unit configured including an oscillator and an amplifier connected to each of the plurality of vector potential coils, The vector potential coils are stacked so that at least the central axes of the bases coincide, a vector potential is generated in the internal space by passing a current from the amplifier through the core wire and conductor of the vector potential coil connected to each of the amplifiers; A bio-vector potential generation device characterized by:

2. a plurality of vector potential coils each formed by winding a solenoid coil, in which a conductor connected in series to a core wire is wound around a winding axis of the core wire, around an insulating cylindrical base body; a drive unit connected in common to the plurality of vector potential coils and configured to include an oscillator and an amplifier, The vector potential coils are stacked so that at least the central axes of the bases coincide, a vector potential is generated in the internal space by passing a current from the amplifier through the core wire and the conductor of each of the vector potential coils connected to the drive unit. A bio-vector potential generation device characterized by:

3. The solenoid coil is wound around an insulating base.

3. The bio-vector potential generation device according to claim 1 or 2. Bio-Vector Potential Generator

4. The core wire and / or the conductor are formed of a conductive material having soft magnetic properties.

3. The bio-vector potential generation device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The number of turns of each of the plurality of vector potential coils is the same.

3. The bio-vector potential generation device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. the conductor of each of the multiple vector potential coils is wound around the base around which the solenoid coil is wound in a loop shape, so that the winding direction is the same with respect to the direction of current progression and the number of turns is the same.

3. The bio-vector potential generation device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. 3. The bio-vector potential generation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the base body is cylindrical.

8. a plurality of vector potential coils each formed by winding a solenoid coil, in which a conductor connected in series to a core wire is wound around a winding axis of the core wire, around an insulating cylindrical base body; a drive unit configured including an oscillator and an amplifier connected to each of the plurality of vector potential coils, The vector potential coils are arranged concentrically or linearly, a vector potential is generated in the internal space by passing a current from the amplifier through the core wire and conductor of the vector potential coil connected to each of the amplifiers; A bio-vector potential generation device characterized by:

9. A bio-vector potential generation device according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 8, except for the base body.

10. A method for operating a bio-vector potential generation device using any of the bio-vector potential generation devices defined in claims 1, 2, and 8, in which a living organism or part of a living organism is held in the internal space and a current of a predetermined frequency is passed from the oscillator to a vector potential coil, thereby generating an electric field within the internal space along the axial direction of the internal space, thereby passing an alternating current to a predetermined part of the living organism or part of a living organism, thereby providing electrical stimulation.

Images