JP6372888B2 - Biological battery treatment tool - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a biobattery treatment device, and more particularly to a biobattery treatment device that is used in contact with a living body such as skin and treats a target site by energizing and stimulating a subcutaneous tissue with a weak DC electromotive force.

  In recent years, an increasing number of patients suffer from chronic stiff shoulders and low back pain, and so far, many poultices, hot tubs, metal particles, magnetic treatment devices, low frequency treatment devices, etc. have been marketed as home treatment devices. These therapeutic tools promote the circulation of the affected area according to various principles, and have the effect of purifying locally accumulated waste.

  As a treatment tool based on a principle different from the above-described general treatment tool, a biobattery treatment tool that heals muscle and nerve fatigue by energization stimulation has been proposed (for example, see Patent Documents 1 to 4). The biobattery treatment device is a superior treatment device that forms a biobattery when it comes into contact with the skin and gives a direct current, and has a therapeutic effect equivalent to or higher than that of the above-mentioned home treatment device. Has been demonstrated.

  By the way, the conventional biological battery treatment tool is a biological battery that uses an N-type semiconductor such as zinc oxide or titanium oxide for the negative electrode and uses a noble metal for the positive electrode (for example, Patent Documents 5 to 10). reference). FIG. 6 shows a typical shape of such a conventional biological battery treatment device. The treatment tool shown in FIG. 6 includes a pedestal 1, an N-type semiconductor 2, and a support 3. The pedestal 1 is made of a synthetic resin plated with gold, and the gold-plated portion serves as a positive electrode of the battery. Works. On the other hand, the N-type semiconductor 2 is held upright on the base 1 and functions as a negative electrode of the battery. This biological battery treatment device is a treatment device that provides a therapeutic effect by applying a weak current stimulus to a living body by attaching a pedestal 1 acting as a positive electrode and a semiconductor 2 acting as a negative electrode to the skin 4.

  Based on the above-described conventional knowledge, the present inventors have developed various biological battery treatment devices using zinc oxide constituting an N-type semiconductor as a negative electrode. This time, in the process of developing a bio-battery treatment device, we have verified the current-carrying characteristics of a bio-battery treatment device using zinc oxide that constitutes an N-type semiconductor as a negative electrode. Rather than zinc oxide, the metal zinc before oxidation has better properties as a biological battery treatment device. This was a surprising experimental result contrary to the expectation of those skilled in the art as well as the present inventors. Moreover, as a result of conducting the same experiment with respect to titanium oxide constituting the N-type semiconductor, the same result as in the case of zinc oxide constituting the N-type semiconductor was obtained.

JP-A-8-173554 JP 11-123245 A JP 2000-84093 A JP 2000-126308 A JP 2000-237322 A JP 2000-237323 A JP 2000-237324 A JP 2007-130145 A JP 2009-050360 A JP 2012-205884 A

  Based on this finding, the present inventors examined using non-oxidized zinc and titanium, which were completely ignored as those who are not worthy of consideration by those skilled in the art, as they are as the negative electrode of the biological battery treatment device. However, zinc and titanium are easy to oxidize, and even if these are used as they are as a negative electrode to constitute a biological battery treatment device, the oxidation of zinc and titanium proceeds with time, and the present inventors have found that It was difficult to make effective use of knowledge.

  Therefore, in order to maintain the zinc and titanium in a state that does not oxidize even if time passes, the present inventors granulate zinc and titanium, mix this with a binder to make a paste, and paste the zinc or titanium that has been made into a paste. I came up with a negative electrode. As a result, it has been found that zinc and titanium can be prevented from oxidizing over time, and non-oxidized zinc and titanium can be effectively utilized as a negative electrode of a biological battery treatment device.

  That is, the biological battery treatment device according to the present invention was made based on new knowledge that is not assumed by those skilled in the art at the time of filing, and is formed by electrically connecting a positive electrode and a negative electrode. A biological battery treatment device for forming an electric circuit that allows a weak current to flow through a living body by bringing the negative electrode into contact with the living body, wherein the negative electrode is blended in a binder with a plurality of granular zinc and a plurality of granular titanium A plurality of metal particles selected from the group of the metal particles, the metal particles are filled in contact with each other in the binder, the metal particles are not oxidized on the surface coated with the binder, In addition, at least some of the metal particles in the region in contact with the living body are partly exposed from the binder, and at least some of the metal particles in the region in contact with the positive electrode are part of the surface. In contact with the positive electrode exposed from inductor.

  The “biological battery treatment device” in the present invention is used in a broad sense. That is, the biological battery treatment device is also referred to as a skin treatment device (see, for example, JP-A-2002-37322, JP-A-2002-37323, JP-A-2002-37324, JP-A-2009-050360). Are also included in the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these names. For example, a hair combing tool to which the present invention is applied (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-236932 for the configuration of the “hair combing tool” itself, for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-236946 for the configuration of the “beauty tool” itself). Electronic toothbrushes (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-36948 for the configuration of the “electronic toothbrush” itself), devices used for transdermal administration (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-169853 for the structure of such a device itself), For the configuration of a sonic facial device (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-205884 for the configuration of the “ultrasonic facial device” itself), for example, for the configuration of a nasal cavity expansion member (for example, “nasal cavity expansion member”), for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-205884 Reference) is also included in the technical scope of the present invention as long as it includes the components of the present invention.

"Electrically connecting" the positive electrode and the negative electrode is not limited to the case where the positive electrode and the negative electrode are in direct physical contact, but indirectly through other conductive members or conductive materials. Including when connected to Specific modes in which “the positive electrode and the negative electrode are electrically connected” are various as can be understood from the descriptions of Patent Documents 1 to 10 and the like described above. Here, although not specifically illustrated, it is naturally not limited to Patent Documents 1 to 10 and includes various known forms.
The “living body” is not limited to a human body, and generally indicates living things such as animals.
The “positive electrode” is composed of a metal having a higher ionization tendency than the “negative electrode”, but when the negative electrode is titanium, typically gold is the positive electrode. When the negative electrode is zinc, any metal other than gold can be used as long as it has a higher ionization tendency than zinc.
“Contacting the positive electrode and the negative electrode to the living body” is intended to cause a weak current to flow through the living body by bringing the positive electrode and the negative electrode into contact with each other. Means contact. The contact location is the location of the electrolyte through which current flows, such as the skin.

  “Weak current” means an electric current having a strength sufficient to achieve a predetermined purpose of the biological battery treatment device. For the purpose of mitochondrial activity, depending on the depth from the epidermis, a weak current of about 0.01 μA to 1200 μA, preferably about 0.05 μA to 800 μA, particularly preferably about 0.1 μA to 600 μA at a voltage of about 30 to 100 mV. Is preferred. When polymodal stimulation is intended, depending on the depth from the epidermis, a weak current of about 0.01 μA to 3000 μA, preferably about 10 μA to 1500 μA, particularly preferably 50 μA to 1200 μA is preferable at a voltage of about 200 mv to 1300 mv. .

  “The granular zinc or granular titanium constituting the negative electrode (hereinafter abbreviated as metal particles) is coated with a binder, and the surface coated with the binder is not oxidized”. A plurality of metal particles whose surfaces are not oxidized are mixed and mixed in a binder before curing to form a negative electrode. This constitutes a negative electrode having a predetermined shape in which metal particles are coated with a binder. In the present invention, “the surface is not oxidized” should be understood as a state in which the surface of the metal particles has a cleanliness level (cleanliness related to surface oxidation) that can achieve the object of the present invention. The wording should not be rigorously physicochemically interpreted literally. For example, commercially available metal particles are also included in the category of “metal particles whose surface is not oxidized” in the present invention. In other words, the metal particles in which the surface of the present invention is not oxidized do not constitute an N-type semiconductor. A binder containing such metal particles is dried and cured to form a predetermined negative electrode shape. As a result, these metal particles are coated with the binder. Here, the meaning that the metal particles are coated with the binder can be paraphrased when the metal particles are blocked from the outside (outside air or the like) and are not oxidized or corroded. The “binder” described in the above work process means a binder before curing (before mixing), but the “binder” constituting the biological battery treatment device of the present invention means “binder” after curing and drying. It means “binder”.

Here, the metal particles constituting the negative electrode must be blended so that the metal particles can be kept in contact with each other to maintain a high density to the extent that the conductivity inside the negative electrode can be maintained. For example, the proportion (% by weight) of the metal particles in the negative electrode depends on the particle size of the metal particles, but is preferably about 60 to 80%. Further, in order to ensure the conductivity between the metal particles in the negative electrode, it is desirable to mix conductive particles (preferably carbon) finer (smaller than the particle size) than the metal particles together with the metal particles.
In the present invention, various resins can be applied as the binder. For example, by using a shrink-drying resin, the resin shrinks at the time of curing, and the contact property between metal particles can be further improved. Suitable heat shrink drying resins include phenol resin, epoxy resin, melamine resin, urea resin, unsaturated polyester resin, alkyd resin polyurethane, thermosetting polyimide (PI) and the like. UV drying shrink resin can also be used. Suitable UV drying shrinkage resins include acrylic resins, urethane resins, epoxy resins, vinyl ether resins, polyenethiol resins and the like. These heat-shrinkable and UV-drying shrinkable resins have a too high shrinkage ratio, resulting in poor moldability and difficulty in obtaining a desired shape. On the contrary, when the shrinkage rate is low, the contact property between the metal particles becomes insufficient. Taking these into consideration, a resin having a shrinkage of about 1% to 10%, particularly about 2 to 5% is particularly suitable.
In addition to these heat shrink drying resins and UV dry shrink resins, for example, conductive resins such as carbon-containing resins and ITO conductive resins, non-conductive resins, and silicon rubber can be used.
The metal particles are the contact between the metal particles, the total surface area of the entire metal particles, the contact area of the negative electrode that contacts the positive electrode or the living body, the number of the metal particles constituting the negative electrode that contact the positive electrode or the living body, and the metal particles The overall particle size of the metal particles is determined by contact to ensure the conductivity inside the negative electrode, and the particle size of the metal particles is about 1 nanometer to 100 microns, preferably about 10 nanometers to 75 microns, more preferably about 10 to About 50 microns.

  The negative electrode obtained in this way allows at least some of the metal particles on the living body side to be exposed from the binder and come into contact with the living body. Further, at least some of the metal particles on the positive electrode side are exposed from the binder and are in contact with the positive electrode. With this configuration, a bioelectric circuit is formed between the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the living body by bringing the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the bioelectrode treatment tool into contact with the living body.

  According to the present invention, zinc or titanium is granulated, the zinc or titanium metal particles are mixed with a binder to form a paste, and the pasted metal particles are used as a negative electrode, thereby causing continuous oxidation and corrosion. Zinc and titanium having no negative electrode can be used as the negative electrode, and as a result, a biobattery treatment device that maintains excellent current characteristics over a long period of time can be obtained.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a biological battery treatment device. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the zinc paste negative electrode. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the insulating layer. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion B in FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional biological battery treatment tool.

Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The present invention is not limited to this embodiment. The present invention includes a biobattery treatment device in which the constituent elements of the present invention specifically described above are arbitrarily combined.

  The biological battery treatment device according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured by providing a disk-shaped insulating layer 20 on a surface 10a of a disk-shaped base 10 constituting a positive electrode, and providing a negative electrode 30 on the surface of the insulating layer 20. Yes. The insulating layer 20 is formed concentrically with the pedestal 10 and has a smaller diameter than the pedestal 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the negative electrode 30 is composed of a plurality of negative electrode pieces 30 a..., Is formed concentrically with the insulating layer 20 as a whole, and has a smaller diameter than the insulating layer 20.

The base 10 constituting the positive electrode uses a material having a lower ionization tendency than the negative electrode. When the negative electrode is zinc, various noble metals can be used. When the negative electrode is titanium, gold is used, and a gold-plated material is practically used.
The insulating layer 20 is made of, for example, urethane resin and is formed by a printing method or the like. As shown in FIG. 3, the insulating layer 20 has a plurality of through holes 22. Each through-hole 22 is formed in the thickness direction at a location corresponding to a substantially central portion of each negative electrode piece 30a made of noble metal, as indicated by a broken-line circle in FIG.

  The negative electrode 30 is formed by, for example, blending metal particles 40 made of zinc particles or titanium particles into a binder such as a heat-shrinkable resin and applying the binder onto the insulating layer 20 by a printing method or the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the negative electrode 30 includes an innermost disc-shaped negative electrode piece 30a, five divided negative electrode pieces 30a on the outer periphery thereof, and eight divided peripheral surface shapes on the outer side thereof. Negative electrode piece 30a. The innermost negative electrode piece 30a, the five negative electrode pieces 30a on the outer periphery thereof, and the eight negative electrode pieces 30a on the outer side thereof are separated from each other and are insulated via the insulating layer 20. The five negative electrode pieces 30a on the outer periphery of the innermost negative electrode piece 30a have the same shape and dimensions, and are arranged at equal intervals. The insulating layers 20 are insulated from each other. The eight negative electrode pieces 30a outside the five negative electrode pieces have the same shape and size, and are arranged at equal intervals. The insulating layers 20 are insulated from each other. The through holes 22 are filled with metal particles 40 such as zinc particles and titanium particles constituting the negative electrode so as to be in contact with each other.

  4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view showing a portion B of FIG. 4. Metal particles 40 such as zinc particles and titanium particles that are in close contact with each other. Most of them are in the binder. At least some of the metal particles 40 on the pedestal 10 side constituting the positive electrode are partly exposed from the binder 50 and are in contact with the pedestal 10. In addition, among the metal particles 40 such as zinc particles and titanium particles, at least a part of the metal particles 40 on the side in contact with the living body (the upper surface side in FIGS. 4 and 5) is partially from the binder 50. It is exposed and can contact the living body. As a result, the pedestal 10 constituting the positive electrode and the negative electrode pieces 30a constituting the negative electrode 30 come into contact with the living body, whereby the negative electrode pieces 30a constituting the negative electrode 30 and the pedestal 10 constituting the positive electrode and the living body are between. An electrical circuit is formed.

  The biological battery treatment tool configured as described above is in contact with the living body in a state where the pedestal 10 forming the positive electrode and the negative electrode pieces 30a of the negative electrode 30 are separated from each other by a predetermined distance by bringing the surface side into contact with the living body. As a result, a weak current flows through the living body. This functions as a biological battery treatment tool.

  In this embodiment, an insulating layer is interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and this insulating layer is a urethane resin. However, an insulating thermoplastic resin, an insulating acrylic resin, a polyurethane resin, polyvinyl acetate, Vinyl chloride, polyester, polyether, polyacrylonitrile, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polycarbonate, phenoxy resin, and the like are also possible. Further, as long as it is insulative, it is possible to use other materials as well as the insulating resin.

Experimental example 1: Experimental example (comparison experiment) on surface degradation of negative electrode (zinc) of a biological battery
First, an experiment was conducted on a zinc plate that is not solidified with a binder, which is out of the present invention. When the electromotive force test was conducted by conducting a conductive connection with the copper plate using the same contact lens preservation solution (sodium chloride 0.9% solution) as that of the body fluid, the electromotive force decreased slightly in several hours, but the electromotive force continued. And 24 hours later, electromotive force continued at 0.74 to 075V. The electromotive force hardly decreased after 24 hours.
However, once the surface of the zinc plate soaked in a contact lens preservation solution (0.9% sodium chloride solution) is dried, white spots and black spots appear. This is because the zinc surface is transformed into zinc carbonate, zinc sulfate, and so on. The conductivity on these spots was extremely poor, and as the white and black spots progressed, it seemed that they had deteriorated deeper, and finally the surface changed to a nonconductor that could not be measured by a tester.
From this, it was confirmed that when the negative electrode of the zinc plate was left in contact with the atmosphere, its surface deteriorated over time and did not function as a negative electrode.
(Experiment according to the present invention)
Next, the same experiment was conducted on the zinc paste hardened with the binder according to the present invention. Even when the zinc paste hardened with a binder was immersed in a contact lens preservation solution (sodium chloride 0.9% solution), almost no change was observed. Once it was dipped in a contact lens preservation solution and then repeatedly wetted and dried in contact with the atmosphere, it felt slightly dark, but no change was observed in electrical resistance.

Experimental example 2: Experiment on surface deterioration of negative electrode (titanium) of biological battery (comparative experiment)
An experiment similar to that for a zinc plate was performed on a titanium plate not hardened with a binder. Even in the case of a titanium plate, the surface color slightly darkened when immersed in a contact lens preservation solution (0.9% sodium chloride solution). This seems to be the color of titanium oxide. When this was repeated, the electromotive force did not disappear, but the surface resistance value increased by 30 to 50% to strengthen the properties of the semiconductor, and a substantial decrease in electromotive force was observed.
(Experiment according to the present invention)
Next, the same experiment as the zinc paste hardened with the binder was performed on the titanium paste hardened with the binder according to the present invention. As a result, no change was observed in electrical resistance.

  From the above experimental results, the biological battery treatment device according to the present invention is coated with a binder so that the zinc powder and titanium powder are not oxidized over time (hardened with a binder), so that the negative electrode deteriorates over time. It was confirmed that the quality of the biological battery treatment device can be maintained.

10. Pedestal (positive electrode)
20 ... Insulating layer 22 ... Through hole 30 ... Negative electrode (the whole negative electrode piece)
30a ... negative electrode piece 40 ... metal particle (zinc particle or titanium particle)
50 ... Binder

Claims (2)

A biological battery treatment device comprising an electrical connection between a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and forming an electric circuit that allows a weak current to flow through the living body by bringing the positive electrode and the negative electrode into contact with the living body,
The negative electrode includes a plurality of metal particles selected from the group of a plurality of granular zinc and a plurality of granular titanium compounded in a binder, and the metal particles are filled in a state of being in contact with each other in the binder. These metal particles are not oxidized on the surface coated with the binder, and at least some of the metal particles in the region in contact with the living body are partially exposed from the binder. The biological battery treatment tool wherein at least some of the metal particles in the region in contact with the positive electrode are in contact with the positive electrode with a part of the surface exposed from the binder.   The biobattery treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of a heat shrink drying resin, a UV shrink drying resin, a carbon-containing resin, an ITO conductive resin, a non-conductive resin, and silicon rubber.

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