WO2016031734A1 - Intracorporeal power generation system - Google Patents

Abstract

　To continuously supply power in a more reliable manner to an intracorporeal implant-type medical device upon reducing the physical burden on a patient. An intracorporeal power generation system (100) provided in a living body, said system (100) generating power fed to an intracorporeal implant-type medical device (10), wherein the intracorporeal power generation system (100) is provided with: electrodes (106) provided so as to be capable of applying a voltage to muscle tissue (20) at a predetermined site in vivo; a movable part (108) provided so as to be capable of moving in a predetermined direction upon detection of muscle tissue contraction in response to application of the voltage to the electrodes; a power generation mechanism (104) for generating an electromotive force in concert with the movement of the movable part; a string-shaped connecting member (110) having one end connected to the movable part and the other end connected to the power generation mechanism; and a control unit (118) for controlling the voltage applied to the electrodes.

Description

Internal power generation system

The present invention relates to an in-vivo power generation system that serves as a power supply for power supply of an implantable medical device. This application claims priority on the basis of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-171562 filed on August 26, 2014 in Japan, and is incorporated herein by reference. Is done.

In recent years, as a treatment device for heart diseases that exhibit arrhythmia such as bradycardia and tachycardia, an implantable cardiac pacemaker (hereinafter referred to as “pacemaker”) and an implantable defibrillator (hereinafter referred to as “ICD”). In-vivo implantable medical devices such as artificial hearts are widely used. In order to operate such an in-vivo implantable medical device independently in the body, it is connected to a power source and connected to a power source outside the body and directly powered from the power source or driven by a primary battery such as a lithium battery. Power is being supplied.

However, the method of supplying power by connecting a cable directly from an external power source has a risk of causing infections and inflammation in the skin penetrating part, and suffers from various restrictions in daily life such as bathing. In addition, the power supply by the primary battery requires a surgical operation for replacing the battery every few years, which is a burden both physically and economically for the patient.

As a method for supplying power to another in-vivo implantable medical device for solving such a problem, in Patent Document 1, the in-vivo implantable medical device is supplied with a secondary battery, and is remotely controlled from outside the body using electromagnetic induction. A charging system that performs non-contact power supply to a secondary battery serving as a power source of a medical device is disclosed. In Non-Patent Document 1, as an internal power generation system for implanting a piezoelectric power generation device using muscle contraction by electrical stimulation into a body, a laminated piezoelectric element is surgically incorporated between a bone and a muscle-tendon unit, A method of generating power using muscle twitching by electrical stimulation is disclosed.

JP 2002-315209 A

When power is supplied to an implantable medical device, the physical burden on the patient wearing the medical device is reduced, and the power supply method is convenient for the patient and provides freedom of life. It is preferable to ensure. In order to continuously operate the implantable medical device embedded in the body, it is necessary to continuously supply power necessary for the operation of the implantable medical device.

In the charging system using non-contact power feeding disclosed in Patent Document 1, although the frequency of battery replacement can be reduced, in order to continuously operate the implantable medical device, it is necessary to carry the charger, and the life for the patient. Issues remain in securing the degree of freedom. In addition, the in-vivo power generation system disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1 theoretically enables continuous power supply, but generates several tens of microwatts of power necessary for driving the pacemaker. Since the use of other muscles is assumed, there remains a problem that the physical burden on the patient due to the use of the power generation system is large.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has been made new and improved, which can continuously supply power to an implantable medical device more reliably while reducing the physical burden on the patient. An object is to provide an in-vivo power generation system.

One aspect of the present invention is an in-vivo power generation system that is provided in a living body and generates electric power to be supplied to an in-vivo implantable medical device, and is provided so that a voltage can be applied to muscle tissue at a predetermined site in the living body. An electrode, a movable part provided to be movable in a predetermined direction in accordance with detection of contraction of the muscle tissue due to application of the voltage to the electrode, and a power generation mechanism that generates an electromotive force with the movement of the movable part And a control unit that controls the voltage applied to the electrode.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the power generation mechanism can be driven using the contraction of the muscular tissue when a voltage is applied to the electrode and a stimulation current is applied to generate power in the body. Continuous power supply becomes possible.

At this time, in one embodiment of the present invention, a secondary battery that stores electric power generated by the power generation mechanism may be further provided.

In this way, by storing the electric power generated in the body in the secondary battery, it is possible to continuously supply power to the implantable medical device and apply voltage to the electrodes.

In one aspect of the present invention, the power generation mechanism includes a casing, a crank gear that is connected to the connection member and converts the substantially linear motion of the movable portion into a rotational motion, and the substantially linear motion of the crank gear. A rotor that rotates in conjunction with the conversion into the rotational motion, a plurality of magnets or electrode members that are annularly provided on the outer edge side of one surface of the rotor so as to face the bottom surface of the casing, and a bottom surface side of the casing It is good also as providing the some coil or electromotive side electrode provided cyclically | annularly in the site | part facing the said magnet or the said electrode member.

In this way, the contraction of the muscular tissue when the stimulation current is applied by applying a voltage to the electrode is converted from a substantially linear motion to a rotational motion by the crank gear, and then a magnet or electrode member is annularly formed on the outer edge portion. Since the provided rotor is rotated at high speed via the gear member, it is possible to generate electric power by generating electromotive force by electromagnetic induction or electrostatic induction in the coil or electromotive side electrode facing the magnet or the electrode member.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the electrode member may be formed of an electret.

In this way, even when the power generation mechanism is downsized and slowed down, a power generation amount of a predetermined size or more can be efficiently secured.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the power generation mechanism may have a multilayer structure in which a plurality of power generation units including the plurality of magnets and the coil, or the electrode member and the electromotive side electrode are provided.

In this way, even when the amount of power generated by one power generation unit is small, it is possible to generate power of a predetermined magnitude or more.

Further, in one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of gear members that increase the rotational speed of the rotor in conjunction with the rotational motion converted by the crank gear may be further provided.

In this way, the power generation mechanism can be efficiently driven to generate power in the body by utilizing the contraction of the muscular tissue when a voltage is applied to the electrode and a stimulation current is applied.

In one aspect of the present invention, a one-way clutch that transmits the rotational motion to the rotor only in one direction via one gear member of the plurality of gear members is provided on the rotation shaft of the rotor. It is good as well.

In this way, by controlling the direction of rotation of the rotor in one direction with a one-way clutch, a substantially linear motion due to contraction of muscle tissue when a voltage is applied to the electrode and a stimulation current is applied is converted after conversion by the crank gear. Therefore, the rotor can be maintained in a high-speed rotation state more reliably.

Further, in one aspect of the present invention, a weight that is movable through an elastic member that can expand and contract in the radial direction from the center of the rotor may be provided inside the rotor.

In this way, the inertia of the rotor is increased by moving the weight outward by centrifugal force in accordance with the increase in the rotation speed of the rotor, so that the increase in the rotation speed of the rotor can be moderated. For this reason, the muscle contraction energy accompanying the muscle contraction characteristic can be more reliably converted into the rotational energy of the rotor.

Moreover, in one aspect of the present invention, a fixing member that can prevent the electrode and the movable portion from being detached from the predetermined portion may be further provided.

As described above, since the fixed member is provided, the electrode and the movable part are not detached from the predetermined part, so that the straight line accompanying the movement of the movable part due to the contraction of the muscular tissue when the voltage is applied to the electrode and the stimulation current is applied The movement can be reliably transmitted to the crank gear provided in the power generation mechanism via the connecting member.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the movable part, the casing, and the fixed member may be made of a titanium metal.

This makes it possible to reduce the risk of adhesion of muscle tissue at the attachment site when the internal power generation system is attached to the body.

As described above, according to the present invention, the power generated in the body is directly fed to the in-vivo implantable medical device, thereby eliminating the need for periodic surgery or carrying an external device. For this reason, while reducing the physical burden on the patient, continuous power supply to the implantable medical device can be performed more reliably.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an in-vivo power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a voltage waveform diagram applied to electrodes in the in-vivo power generation system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the in-vivo power generation system according to the embodiment of the present invention is attached to a human body. 4A and 4B are operation explanatory views of the in-vivo power generation system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5A is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the power generation mechanism provided in the in-vivo power generation system according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view along AA in FIG. 5A, and FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view along BB in FIG. It is sectional drawing. 6A and 6B are operation explanatory views of a modified example of the rotor provided in the power generation mechanism provided in the in-body power generation system according to the embodiment of the present invention. 7A and 7B are operation explanatory views of the power generation mechanism provided in the in-vivo power generation system according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a power generation mechanism provided in the in-body power generation system of the present embodiment, and FIG. 8B is a perspective view from one side of a rotor provided in the power generation mechanism provided in the in-body power generation system of the present embodiment. FIG. 8C is a perspective view of the electromotive side electrode provided in the power generation mechanism provided in the in-body power generation system of the present embodiment. 9A and 9B are operation explanatory views of the power generation mechanism provided in the in-vivo power generation system according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a graph showing a comparison result between the power generation mechanism provided in the in-body power generation system according to one embodiment of the present invention and the power generation mechanism provided in the in-body power generation system according to another embodiment. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration and operation of the power generation mechanism provided in the in-body power generation system according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. The present embodiment described below does not unduly limit the contents of the present invention described in the claims, and all the configurations described in the present embodiment are essential as means for solving the present invention. Not necessarily.

(First embodiment)
First, the configuration of an in-vivo power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an in-vivo power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An in-vivo power generation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a muscle contraction of a muscular tissue 20 that becomes a part of skeletal muscle by electrical stimulation as a power source in place of a battery or external power supply of an implantable medical device 10 such as a pacemaker or ICD. It is the in-vivo power generation device provided in the living body using the. Specifically, the in-vivo power generation system 100 according to the present embodiment generates contraction of the muscular tissue 20 by electrical stimulation, and drives the power generation mechanism 104 using the contraction force and contraction displacement, thereby implanting the body. Power for supplying power to the device 10 is actively generated in a living body such as a human being or an animal.

As shown in FIG. 1, the in-vivo power generation system 100 of the present embodiment includes a pair of electrodes 106, a movable portion 108, a wire 110 serving as a connection member, a fixed member 112, a power generation mechanism 104, and a rectifier circuit 114. And a secondary battery 116 and a control unit 118.

The electrode 106 has a function as a stimulation electrode that applies a voltage to the muscular tissue 20 at a predetermined site in the living body and flows a stimulation current of about 1 to 20 mA. In the present embodiment, the electrode 106 composed of a pair of an anode and a cathode is provided at a predetermined interval at a site that contacts the muscle tissue 20 to be contracted by voltage application. That is, the electrode 106 is provided so that a voltage can be applied to the muscular tissue 20 at a predetermined site in the living body. In the present embodiment, the electrode 106 is fixed by the fixing member 112 so as not to be separated from the predetermined site where it is installed together with the movable portion 108. Details of the fixing member 112 will be described later.

The movable portion 108 is provided in the vicinity of the electrode 106, and in accordance with contraction of the muscular tissue 20 due to application of a voltage to the electrode 106, a specific direction, specifically, a direction of the muscle fiber 20 running through the muscular tissue 20. The function to move to. In other words, the movable portion 108 is provided so as to be movable in the direction of the muscle fiber 20 traveling along the muscle tissue 20 in accordance with the detection of the contraction of the muscle tissue 20 due to the application of a voltage to the electrode 106. In the present embodiment, the movable portion 108 is connected to a crank gear 124 (see FIG. 5A) provided in the power generation mechanism 104 via a wire 110 serving as a string-like connection member. Details of the specific configuration, operation, attachment method, and the like of the movable unit 106 will be described later.

The power generation mechanism 104 has a function of generating an electromotive force as the movable unit 108 moves. In the present embodiment, the power generation mechanism 104 is an electromagnetic induction generator that generates electromotive force by electromagnetic induction generated as the movable unit 108 moves. Specifically, in the present embodiment, when the power generation mechanism 104 applies electrical stimulation to the muscular tissue 20, the movable unit 108 that moves along with detection of muscle contraction generated in the muscular tissue 20 causes the wire 110 to move. The coil 136 is pulled to generate an electromotive force due to electromagnetic induction in the coil 136 (see FIG. 5B) provided in the power generation mechanism 104 connected to the wire 110. Details of the configuration and operation of the power generation mechanism 104 will be described later.

The power generated by the power generation mechanism 104 serving as an AC power supply is supplied to and stored in a secondary battery 116 such as a storage battery via a rectifier circuit 114 that converts AC power into DC power. The electric power stored in the secondary battery 116 is used to supply power to the implantable medical device 10 and to generate a new electrical stimulus applied to the muscle tissue 20 via the electrode 106. In this way, by storing the electric power generated in the body in the secondary battery 116, continuous power feeding to the in-vivo implantable medical device 10 and application to the electrode 106 for applying electrical stimulation to the muscle tissue 20 are performed. Voltage can be applied.

That is, in the in-vivo power generation system 100 of the present embodiment, the inventor has made extensive studies in order to achieve the above-described object of the present invention. It was created by utilizing the fact that the electric energy generated by the power generation mechanism 104 by the movement of the movable body 108 accompanying the muscle contraction of the muscle is larger. Note that the rectifier circuit 114 and the secondary battery 116 may be provided integrally with the power generation mechanism 104 or may be provided separately.

The control unit 118 has a function of controlling the stimulation current applied to the muscular tissue 20 by adjusting the magnitude and interval of the voltage applied to the electrode 106. Specifically, the control unit 118 determines the magnitude and interval of the current applied to the electrode 106 when power supply to the implantable medical device 10 is necessary, or when the remaining battery level of the secondary battery 116 is low. Adjust.

In the present embodiment, a rectangular wave AC voltage as shown in FIG. 2 is applied to the electrode 106 as an electrical stimulus that promotes contraction of the muscle tissue 20. At that time, in order to change the contraction amount of the muscular tissue 20, the amplitude A1 of the applied voltage, the repetition period T2 that is the pulse interval of the continuous stimulation voltage, and the stimulation duration T3 that is the duration of the continuous pulse of the stimulation voltage are adjusted. To do. On the other hand, in order to change the contraction frequency of the muscular tissue 20, the interval of stimulation voltage (stimulation interval) that is the interval between the continuous pulse of the stimulation voltage and the next continuous pulse is adjusted. Note that the waveform of the stimulation voltage applied to the electrode 106 is not limited to the rectangular wave shown in FIG. 2, and may be an AC voltage having another pulse shape such as a sine wave, a triangular wave, or a sawtooth wave.

In this way, by adjusting the magnitude and interval of the stimulation voltage applied to the electrode 106 by the control unit 118, the contraction frequency and contraction amount of the muscular tissue 20 change, and accordingly, the electromotive force generated in the power generation mechanism 104 The size of can be adjusted. That is, by adjusting the magnitude and interval of the voltage applied to the electrode 106 by the control unit 118, an electromotive force having a desired magnitude can be secured.

In this embodiment, one pair, that is, two electrodes 106 are provided. However, in order to adjust the contraction amount of the muscle tissue 20, two or more pairs of electrodes 106 are provided on the muscle tissue 20 to be contracted. It may be. That is, the electrodes 106 are uniformly installed on the muscle tissue 20 to be contracted so that there are a plurality of anodes and cathodes, and the number of electrodes 106 to be energized is selected by the control unit 118, thereby The amount of shrinkage of 20 can be adjusted. As a result, the amount of electromotive force in the power generation mechanism 104 can be adjusted.

Next, the usage state and operation of the in-vivo power generation system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described using the drawings. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a state where the in-vivo power generation system according to one embodiment of the present invention is attached to a human body, and FIGS. 4A and 4B are operation explanatory views of the in-body power generation system according to one embodiment of the present invention. It is.

As shown in FIG. 3, the in-vivo power generation system 100 according to the present embodiment has an in-vivo implantable medical device 10 that is placed under the chest, such as a cardiac pacemaker or ICD, as a power supply target. Attached to. Specifically, the in-body power generation system 100 is implanted as a muscular tissue 20 at a predetermined site in a living body on the clavicle side of the greater pectoral muscle as shown in FIG.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4A, a portion of several cm is separated from the clavicle 22 on the upper edge side of the pectoralis major muscle 20 by about 10 mm perpendicular to the muscle fiber running, and the plate-like movable portion 108 is separated from the separation portion 21. Is installed. That is, the movable portion 108 is a plate-like member that extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction of muscle fiber travel of the muscle tissue 20 such as the great pectoral muscle, and is installed so as to be inserted into the separating portion 21. . As described above, by providing the movable portion 108, as the voltage is applied to the electrode 106, as shown in FIG. 4B, contraction of the muscular tissue 20 in contact with the electrode 106 occurs, and the movable portion 108 is applied. As the muscle contraction is detected, the muscle tissue 20 moves in the direction of muscle fiber travel by tilting in conjunction with the muscle contraction. The movable portion 108 is provided in the vicinity of the electrode 106 and is configured to be movable in the muscle fiber traveling direction of the muscular tissue 20 in accordance with the detection of the contraction of the muscular tissue 20 by applying a voltage to the electrode 106. If it is, it is good also as a structure and installation method of another aspect.

The movable part 108 is fixed by a fixing member 112 for preventing separation from the attached site. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the fixing member 112 has a contraction muscle shell 112 a having a substantially U-shaped cross section, and the contraction muscle shell 112 a can move following the movement of the movable portion 108. And the bone connecting plate 112c for fixing the constrictor shell 112a and the ball joint 112b to the clavicle.

Specifically, the constrictor muscle shell 112a covers the dissecting muscle on the clavicle side of the pectoralis major muscle from above, and then the constrictor muscle shell 112a is connected to the clavicle 22 via the ball joint 112b and the bone connecting plate 112c. . For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4B, following the movement of the movable part 108 due to the muscle contraction of the muscular tissue 20, the dissecting muscle on the side of the clavicle to which the movable part 108 is attached is covered from above. It is designed not to come off. In addition, since the contraction muscle shell 112a can follow the displacement of the greater pectoral muscles accompanying the movement of the upper limb, it is possible to generate power in the body without damaging the movement of the upper limb of the wearer of the in-body power generation system 100. In the present embodiment, the size of the contractile muscle shell 112a is about 25 × 10 × 10 mm.

In addition, a pair of electrodes 106 connected via a conductive wire 105 is provided inside the contractile muscle shell 112a as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. For this reason, the electrode 106 is arranged in the vicinity of the movable part 108 in the disconnection muscle by covering the disconnection muscle on the clavicle side to which the movable part 108 is attached with the contraction muscle shell 112a from above. The movable part 108 can be moved along with the muscle contraction caused by the stimulation current.

As described above, by providing the contraction muscle shell 112a, the ball joint 112b, and the bone connection plate 112c as the fixing member 112, the electrode 106 and the movable portion 108 do not come off from a predetermined part. For this reason, the linear motion accompanying the movement of the movable part 108 due to the muscle contraction of the muscle tissue 20 when a voltage is applied to the electrode 106 can be reliably transmitted to the crank gear 124 (see FIG. 5A) provided in the power generation mechanism 104.

Furthermore, inside the contracting muscle shell 112a having the electrode 106 for applying a voltage, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a movable portion 108 that comes into contact with one end face 21a of the separation portion 21 of the muscle tissue 20 is provided. It is connected to the wire 110 through the connecting portion 108a. The wire 110 passes through the resin hose 111, the other end 110 a is connected to the power generation mechanism 104, transmits muscle contraction force, and the power generation mechanism 104 generates power. The other end face 21b of the separation part 21 of the muscular tissue 20 is connected to the outside of the contraction muscle shell 112a. As a result, the muscle on the stump 21b side can transmit the muscle contraction force to the clavicle via the contraction muscle shell 112a, the ball joint 112b, and the bone connection plate 112c, and can maintain the original function.

In the present embodiment, the power generation mechanism 104 is a power generator that can generate power by an electromagnetic induction method, and the generated power is an implantable medical device to be fed via an external output line 120 as shown in FIG. Supplied to the device 10. Note that the main body size of the power generation mechanism 104 is such a size that it does not become a burden on the patient when attached to the living body of the patient, and the outer dimensions are within 30 × 30 × 6 mm.

Moreover, in this embodiment, in order to reduce the risk that the muscular tissue 20 at the attachment site adheres when the in-body power generation system 100 is attached to the body, the movable portion 108 serving as a part that directly contacts the muscular tissue 20, The casing 122 (see FIGS. 5A to 5C) serving as the main body of the mechanism 104, and the contraction muscle shell 112a, the ball joint 112b, and the bone connecting plate 112c serving as fixing members are made of a titanium-based metal. In the present embodiment, since the in-vivo power generation system 100 uses the displacement of muscle contraction of the muscular tissue 20, an adverse event can be considered as inter-tissue adhesion due to fibrosis of the muscular tissue 20 after surgery. For this reason, the movable part 108, the casing 122, and the fixed member 112 have biocompatibility, corrosion resistance, and heat resistance in order to prevent the adhesion and reliably extract the muscle contraction and realize internal power generation. Made of excellent titanium-based metal.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the power generation mechanism 104 is an electromagnetic induction generator, there is a concern that electromagnetic waves may be generated to cause electromagnetic interference to the implantable medical device 10 or the living tissue that is a power supply destination. The For this reason, in particular, the casing 122 of the power generation mechanism 104 is preferably formed of a titanium-based metal having extremely low electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity. The “titanium-based metal” referred to here refers to titanium alone, titanium compounds such as titanium oxide, and titanium alloys containing titanium as a main component.

As described above, by installing the in-vivo power generation system 100 according to the present embodiment in the living body, it is possible to perform in-body power generation using only a part of the skeletal muscle while preventing the contractility deterioration due to the fiberization around the muscle tissue 20. As such, muscles that are not involved in in-vivo power generation can retain their original functions. In addition, by directly supplying power generated directly in the body to the medical device, it is possible to continuously supply power to the implantable medical device 10. This eliminates the need for periodic surgery for battery replacement, does not require external equipment to be used for non-contact charging, and even if the internal power generation system 100 is attached to the body, such as bathing. Since there is no restriction, the quality of life of a patient who has such an internal power generation system 100 attached to the body is improved.

Next, the configuration of the power generation mechanism provided in the in-vivo power generation system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5A is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the power generation mechanism provided in the in-vivo power generation system according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view along AA in FIG. 5A, and FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view along BB in FIG. It is sectional drawing.

The power generation mechanism 104 provided in the in-vivo power generation system 100 according to the present embodiment is an electromagnetic induction generator that generates electromotive force by electromagnetic induction. As shown in FIG. 5A, the power generation mechanism 104 is provided with a crank gear 124, a rotor 126, and a plurality of gear members 128, 130, and 132 in a substantially cylindrical casing 122. Further, as shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C, a plurality of permanent magnets 134 are annularly provided at predetermined intervals on the outer edge side of the lower surface 126 a of the rotor 126 facing the bottom surface 122 b of the casing 122. . As shown in FIG. 5B and FIG. 5C, a plurality of rings are provided on the bottom surface 122 b of the casing 122 so that the coil 136 around which the conductive wire is wound faces these permanent magnets 134. In the present embodiment, eight permanent magnets 134 are provided at equal intervals on the outer edge side of one surface 126a of the rotor 126, but the number of permanent magnets 134 is not limited to eight.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the crank gear 124 is a substantially fan-shaped plate member centering on a rotating shaft 124 a provided on the side wall of the casing 122, and a gear (not shown) is attached to the arc portion 124 b of the crank gear 124. Is provided. Further, the crank gear 124 is connected to one end 110a of the wire 110 serving as a connecting member to the movable portion 108. Therefore, when the movable portion 108 is moved and displaced, the crank gear 124 is moved via the wire 110. It is pulled in one direction and rotates around the rotation axis 124a. For this reason, the crank gear 124 has a function of converting a substantially linear motion accompanying the movement of the movable portion 108 into a rotational motion.

Further, in order to return the crank gear 124 to its original position after pulling the crank gear 124 with the wire 110, a torsion spring 125 is wound around the rotating shaft 124a as shown in FIG. 5A. Is provided. The torsion spring 125 has one end 125 a fixed to the crank gear 124 and the other end 125 b supported and fixed to the side surface 122 c of the casing 122. As described above, by providing the torsion spring 125, it is possible to continuously convert from a substantially linear motion to a rotational motion using the displacement of the movable portion 108 due to muscle contraction. For this reason, the sustainability of the rotary motion of the rotor 126 provided with the permanent magnet 134 in an annular shape is improved, and the power generation in the power generation mechanism 104 is stabilized.

The rotor 126 is a substantially disk that rotates about a rotation shaft 138 provided substantially at the center of the casing 122 in conjunction with the conversion from the substantially linear motion to the rotational motion by the crank gear 124 via the gear members 128, 130, and 132. It is a rotor of shape. A plurality of permanent magnets 134 are provided at predetermined intervals on the outer edge side of the one surface 126 a of the rotor 126 so as to face the bottom surface 122 b of the casing 122. For this reason, when the rotor 126 rotates, the magnetic flux passing through the inside of the coil 136 provided at the portion facing the permanent magnet 134 changes, and thus an electromotive force due to electromagnetic induction is generated in the coil 136.

The gear members 128, 130, and 132 have a function of increasing the rotational speed of the rotor 126 in conjunction with the rotational motion converted by the crank gear 124. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C, the pinion gear 128 that meshes with the arc portion 124 b of the crank gear 124, the first intermediate gear 130 that shares the rotation shaft 129 with the pinion gear 128, and the first It has three gear members of a second intermediate gear 132 that meshes with the intermediate gear 130 and shares the rotation shaft 138 with the rotor 126.

Since the gear ratios of the crank gear 124, the pinion gear 128, the first intermediate gear 130, and the second intermediate gear 132 are different, the rotational speed of the rotor 126 is increased in conjunction with the rotational motion converted by the crank gear 124. Be made. In the present embodiment, since the gear ratios of these gears are different, the ratio of the rotational speeds of the crank gear 124 and the pinion gear 128, the pinion gear 128 and the first intermediate gear 130, and the first intermediate gear 130 and the second intermediate gear 132. Are 160: 15, 1: 1, and 3: 1, respectively.

For this reason, the rotational speed of the rotor 126 is increased to 30 times the rotational speed of the rotational motion converted by the crank gear 124. In the present embodiment, in order to secure the power of about several tens of μW necessary for driving the implantable medical device 10, it is necessary to rotate the rotor 126 at a high speed of about 600 rpm. Note that the gear ratios of the gears 124, 128, 130, and 132 are set as appropriate in order to set the rotational speed of the rotor 130 to a desired magnitude. Therefore, the rotational speeds of the gears 124, 128, 130, and 132 are determined. The ratio is not limited to the value described above.

Further, in the present embodiment, the one-way clutch 140 that transmits the rotational movement of the rotor 126 in only one direction via the second intermediate gear 132 is provided on the rotating shaft 138 of the rotor 126 as shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C. Is provided. In this way, by controlling the rotation direction of the rotor 126 in one direction by the one-way clutch 140, a substantially linear motion due to the contraction of the muscular tissue 20 when a voltage is applied to the electrode 106 is converted by the crank gear 124. Can be accumulated in only one direction. For this reason, the high-speed rotation state of the rotor 126 can be maintained more reliably.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the power generation mechanism 104 detects contraction of the muscular tissue 20 that occurs when a voltage is applied to the electrode 106 and converts the substantially linear motion into a rotational motion by the crank gear 124. The rotor 126 provided with the magnet 134 in an annular shape is rotated at high speed via the gear members 128, 130, and 132. As a result, an electromotive force due to electromagnetic induction generated in the coil 136 facing the magnet 134 is generated. That is, by using the electromagnetic induction type power generation mechanism 104 as the internal power generator, it is possible to improve the power generation efficiency and reduce the amount of muscle used.

In addition, in order to increase the inertia of the high speed rotation of the rotor 126, the configuration of the rotor 126 may be a configuration of a modified example described below. 6A and 6B are operation explanatory views of a modified example of the rotor provided in the power generation mechanism provided in the in-body power generation system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The rotor 226 according to the present modification is characterized in that a weight 228 that can move through a spring 227 that is an elastic member that can expand and contract in the radial direction from the center is provided inside the rotor 226. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6A, four grooves 229 are formed radially from the center 226 a toward the outer edge 226 b inside the rotor 226, and springs are formed inside these grooves 229. A weight 228 that is elastically movable in the radial direction via 227 is provided.

By configuring the rotor 226 in such a configuration, when the rotation of the rotor 226 is started, the rotational speed of the rotor 226 is small, and the centrifugal force applied to the weight 228 is smaller than the elastic force of the spring 227. In addition, the weights 228 are disposed at positions close to the center portion 226a. Thereafter, as the rotational motion of the rotor 226 is accelerated, the weight 228 is moved outward by centrifugal force, so that the inertia of the rotor 226 is increased and the inertia is maximized at the start of inertial rotation.

That is, as the rotation speed of the rotor 226 increases, the weight 228 is displaced outward by centrifugal force, so that the inertia of the rotational motion of the rotor 226 increases, and the increase in the rotation speed of the rotor 226 can be moderated. . This is in accordance with the characteristic that the increase in contraction speed becomes gentle in the latter half of the muscle contraction operation that occurs when the stimulation voltage is applied. From this, the muscle contraction energy accompanying the muscle contraction characteristic can be more reliably converted into the rotational energy of the rotor. Thus, by varying the inertia of the rotor 226 in accordance with the rotational speed, more muscle contraction energy can be stored as the kinetic energy of the rotor, so the amount of power generation in the power generation mechanism 104 increases and the power generation efficiency increases. To improve.

Next, the operation of the power generation mechanism provided in the in-vivo power generation system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 7A and 7B are operation explanatory views of the power generation mechanism provided in the in-vivo power generation system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The internal power generation system 100 according to the present embodiment uses the displacement of the movable portion 108 due to muscle contraction of the muscular tissue 20 that occurs when a stimulation current is applied by applying a voltage to the muscular tissue 20, and causes the permanent magnet 134 to move. The rotor 126 provided in an annular shape is rotated. Then, an induced electromotive force generated by electromagnetic induction is extracted from the coil 136 facing the permanent magnet 134. Specifically, since the wire 110 is pulled by the displacement of the movable portion 108 due to muscle contraction, the crank gear 124 rotates counterclockwise from the position shown in FIG. 7A to the position shown in FIG. 7B.

As shown in FIG. 7B, when the crank gear 124 is rotated counterclockwise by being pulled by the wire 110, the pinion gear 128 meshing with the arcuate portion 124b of the crank gear 124 rotates clockwise. When the pinion gear 128 rotates, the pinion gear 128 and the rotation shaft 129 are shared, and the first intermediate gear 130 having a large gear ratio rotates clockwise at the same rotation speed as the pinion gear 128. .

Then, as the first intermediate gear 130 rotates, as shown in FIG. 7B, the second intermediate gear 132 that meshes with the first intermediate gear 130 rotates counterclockwise. Since the second intermediate gear 132 has a gear ratio smaller than that of the first intermediate gear 130, the second intermediate gear 132 rotates at a rotational speed higher than that of the first intermediate gear 130. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7B, the counterclockwise rotational motion of the second intermediate gear 132 is transmitted to the rotor 126 sharing the rotation shaft 138 with the second intermediate gear 132 via the one-way clutch 140. For this reason, the rotor 126 rotates at a high speed at the same rotational speed as the second intermediate gear 132.

On the other hand, after pulling the wire 110, the rotor 126 and the second intermediate gear 132 are separated by the one-way clutch 140, so that the power transmission of the rotational motion from the second intermediate gear 132 to the rotor 126 is interrupted. For this reason, since the rotor 126 continues to rotate due to inertia, an electromotive force due to electromagnetic induction can be continuously generated in the coil 136 facing the permanent magnet 134 installed on the outer edge side of the rotor 126. Further, the crank gear 124 moves to the initial position shown in FIG. 7A by the restoring force of the torsion spring 125.

As described above, in this embodiment, the wire 110, the crank gear 124, the pinion gear 128, the first intermediate gear 130, the second intermediate gear 132, and the one-way clutch 140 are used to move the movable portion 108 due to muscle contraction to the rotor 126. Power transmission accompanying displacement is executed. Further, after the muscle contraction is finished and the wire 110 is pulled, the rotor 126 and the second intermediate gear 132 are separated by the one-way clutch 140, so that the power transmission due to the displacement of the movable portion 108 in the reverse direction can be interrupted.

For this reason, the wire 110, the crank gear 124, the pinion gear 128, the first intermediate gear 130, and the second intermediate gear can only be displaced in one direction due to muscle contraction of the muscle tissue 20 that occurs when a stimulation current is passed. 132 and the one-way clutch 140 can be used for the rotational movement of the rotor 126. Further, by transmitting the rotational motion of the second intermediate gear 132 rotating at high speed to the rotor 126 via the one-way clutch 140, the power transmission of the rotational motion in only one direction can be accumulated. Rotational motion is maintained by inertia.

For this reason, generation of electromotive force of the coil 136 due to electromagnetic induction is stably maintained. In order to ensure a stable rotational motion of the rotor 126 due to inertia, the material and shape of the rotor 126 are determined so that the inertia of the rotor 126 becomes an optimum value according to the in-body power generation system 100 of the present embodiment. . For the first and second intermediate gears 130 and 132, a material having as small an inertia as possible is selected in consideration of wear resistance and the like. Specifically, the rotor 126 and the first and second intermediate gears 130 and 132 are made of, for example, a light metal such as aluminum or a hard resin.

In the present embodiment, the power generation mechanism 104 rotationally moves the rotor 126 via the crank gear 124, the pinion gear 128, the first intermediate gear 130, the second intermediate gear 132, and the one-way clutch 140 by pulling the wire 110. The electromotive force is generated by electromagnetic induction, but the power generation mechanism 104 may be configured in other manners. For example, a power transmission mechanism such as a cam transmits the power generated by pulling the wire 110 to a moving member on which a permanent magnet is mounted, and linearly reciprocates the coil 136 facing the permanent magnet by electromagnetic induction. Electric power may be generated.

As described above, in the in-vivo power generation system 100 according to the present embodiment, the power generated in the body is directly supplied to the in-vivo implantable medical device 10, so that surgery for periodic battery replacement or non-contact type is possible. Eliminates the need to carry external equipment to supply power. For this reason, while reducing the physical burden on the patient, continuous power supply to the implantable medical device 10 is more reliably realized.

Further, contraction of the muscular tissue 10 is generated by electrical stimulation, and the electromagnetic induction type power generation mechanism 104 is driven using the contraction force and contraction displacement to supply power for power supply to the in-vivo implantable medical device 10. Secure. Specifically, when contraction occurs in a muscle of about 2 to 3 cm by applying a stimulation voltage, the rotor 126 provided in the power generation mechanism 104 is driven at a high speed of about 600 rpm even if the stroke of the movable unit 108 and the wire 110 is about 3 mm. By rotating, it is possible to secure a power of about several tens of μW necessary for driving the implantable medical device 10 such as a pacemaker or ICD.

For this reason, even if the muscle tissue 20 is not contracted at high frequency and high frequency, relatively compact and highly efficient power generation is possible, and the amount of muscle used when generating power in the body can be reduced. That is, since only the part of the large muscle is used and the function of the other part is maintained, the load on the human body due to the reduction in the amount of muscle used is reduced.

Furthermore, depending on the design of the power generation mechanism 104, the contraction displacement and contraction force of the muscle tissue 20 for the same work can be adjusted. That is, when the same 10 μW work (= contraction displacement × contraction force) is applied to the muscle, it is possible to set a balance between the displacement and the force that hardly cause muscle fatigue.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, the configuration of the power generation mechanism provided in the in-vivo power generation system according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a power generation mechanism provided in the in-body power generation system of the present embodiment, and FIG. 8B is a perspective view from one side of a rotor provided in the power generation mechanism provided in the in-body power generation system of the present embodiment. FIG. 8C is a perspective view of the electromotive side electrode provided in the power generation mechanism provided in the in-body power generation system of the present embodiment. FIG. 8A shows a state in which the top plate of the casing is removed in order to explain each component of the power generation mechanism.

The power generation mechanism 304 provided in the in-vivo power generation system according to the present embodiment is an electrostatic induction generator that generates an electromotive force by electrostatic induction. In the present embodiment, the power generation mechanism 304 is connected to the wire 310 by pulling the wire 310 by the movable portion 108 (see FIG. 1) that moves along with muscle contraction when electrical stimulation is applied to the muscle tissue. An electromotive force is generated by electrostatic induction in the electromotive side electrode 336 provided in the power generation mechanism 304.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the power generation mechanism 304 is provided with a crank gear 324, a rotor 326, and a rotation gear member 332 in a substantially cylindrical casing 322. As shown in FIG. 8B, a plurality of electrode members 334 are annularly provided at predetermined intervals on the outer edge side of one surface 326a of the rotor 326 facing the bottom surface 322b of the casing 322. As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8C, a plurality of rings are provided on the bottom surface 322 b of the casing 322 so that the electromotive side electrode 336 faces these electrode members 334.

The electrode member 334 is composed of an electret made of a conductor such as copper or a charged body such as a fluororesin film. When the electrode member 334 is made of a conductor such as copper, it is necessary to apply a voltage to the electrode member 334 in order to generate electricity by electrostatic induction. A voltage is applied to the electrode member 334 via a slip ring installed on the stator and a brush installed on the stator.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the crank gear 324 is a substantially fan-shaped plate member centering on a rotating shaft 324 a provided on the side wall side of the casing 322, and a gear 324 b 1 is provided on an arc portion 324 b of the crank gear 324. ing. Further, since the crank gear 324 is connected to one end 310a of the wire 310 serving as a connecting member to the movable portion 108, the crank gear 324 is moved via the wire 310 when the movable portion 108 is moved and displaced. It is pulled in one direction and rotates around the rotation shaft 324a. For this reason, the crank gear 324 has a function of converting a substantially linear motion accompanying the movement of the movable portion 108 into a rotational motion.

Further, in order to return the crank gear 324 to its original position after pulling the crank gear 324 with the wire 310, as shown in FIG. 8A, a torsion spring 325 is wound around the rotary shaft 324a. Is provided. The torsion spring 325 has one end 325 a fixed to the crank gear 324 and the other end 325 b supported and fixed to the side surface 322 c of the casing 322. As described above, by providing the torsion spring 325, it is possible to continuously convert from a substantially linear motion to a rotational motion using the displacement of the movable portion 108 due to muscle contraction. For this reason, the sustainability of the rotational motion of the rotor 326 provided with the electrode member 334 in an annular shape is improved, and the power generation by the power generation mechanism 304 is stabilized.

The rotor 326 rotates in a substantially disk shape that rotates about a rotation shaft 338 provided at a substantially center of the casing 322 in conjunction with the conversion from the substantially linear motion to the rotational motion by the crank gear 324 via the rotation gear member 332. It is a child. A plurality of electrode members 334 are provided at predetermined intervals on the outer edge side of the lower surface 326a of the rotor 326 so as to face the bottom surface 322b of the casing 322. For this reason, when the rotor 326 rotates, the capacitance between the electrode member 334 and the electromotive side electrode 336 changes, and an electric current flows through the electromotive side electrode 336 due to electrostatic induction, thereby generating an electromotive force. Occurs.

The rotating gear member 332 shares the rotor 326 and the rotating shaft 338 and has a function of transmitting the rotating motion converted by the crank gear 324 to the rotating shaft 338 of the rotor 326. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8A, the rotating gear member 332 meshes with the gear 324b1 of the arc portion 324b of the crank gear 324, and the rotating motion converted by the crank gear 324 is applied to the rotating shaft 338 of the rotor 326. introduce.

In this embodiment, the rotary motion converted by the crank gear 324 is transmitted to the rotary shaft 338 of the rotor 326 via the rotary gear member 332, but the gear ratio is different as in the first embodiment. By using a plurality of gear members, the rotational motion converted by the crank gear 324 may be transmitted via the rotating gear member 332 so as to rotate the rotating shaft 338 of the rotor 326 at a high speed.

Further, similarly to the first embodiment, in order to more reliably maintain the high-speed rotation state of the rotor 326, the rotor 326 is attached to the rotation shaft 338 of the rotor 326 only in one direction via the rotation gear member 332. A one-way clutch that transmits rotational motion may be provided to control the rotational direction of the rotor 326 in one direction.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the power generation mechanism 304 detects contraction of the muscular tissue 20 that occurs when a voltage is applied to the electrode 106 (see FIG. 1), and the crank gear 324 rotates the substantially linear motion. Then, the rotor 326 provided with the electrode member 334 in a ring shape is rotated at high speed via the rotating gear member 332. Thus, an electromotive force is generated in the electromotive side electrode 336 facing the electrode member 334 by electrostatic induction. That is, by using the electrostatic induction type power generation mechanism 304 as the internal power generator, it is possible to improve the power generation efficiency and reduce the amount of muscle used.

In the present embodiment, the power generation mechanism 304 rotates the rotor 326 via the crank gear 324 and the rotating gear member 332 by pulling the wire 310, and generates an electromotive force by electrostatic induction. The configuration of the power generation mechanism 304 is possible in other modes. For example, a power transmission mechanism such as a cam transmits the power generated by pulling the wire 310 to the moving member on which the electrode member is mounted and linearly reciprocates the static electricity to the electromotive side electrode 336 facing the electrode member. An electromotive force may be generated by electric induction.

Next, the operation of the power generation mechanism provided in the in-vivo power generation system according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 9A and 9B are operation explanatory views of the power generation mechanism provided in the in-vivo power generation system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9A, the power generation mechanism 304 is provided on one surface side of a rotor 326 that is a moving body that rotates and moves by muscle contraction force generated by applying a voltage to muscle tissue via an electrode. A plurality of electrode members 334 made of a conductor such as copper are provided. Further, on the rotor 326 side, a moving body side power source 350 for applying a voltage in order to set the electrode member 334 made of a conductor such as copper to a high potential is provided.

On the other hand, a plurality of electromotive side electrodes 336 made of a conductor such as copper and generating electromotive force by electrostatic induction are provided at a position facing the electrode member 334, that is, the casing bottom surface 322b. These electromotive side electrodes 336 are connected to a secondary battery 316 serving as a charging circuit.

When the power generation mechanism 304 is configured as described above, when the rotor 326 rotates and moves due to muscle contraction generated by applying a voltage to the muscle tissue via the electrode, the electrode member 334 and the electromotive side electrode 336 are interposed. , And a current flows through the electromotive side electrode 336 due to electrostatic induction to generate an electromotive force. In this way, contraction of muscle tissue is generated by electrical stimulation, and the electrostatic induction type power generation mechanism 304 is driven using the contraction force and contraction displacement to supply power to the implantable medical device 10. It will be possible to secure the power.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9B, as the electrostatic induction type power generation mechanism 404 of the present embodiment, as a plurality of electrode members 434 provided on one surface side of the rotor 426, the electric polarization is held semipermanently and is surrounded by the surroundings. You may use what was formed with the electret which consists of charged bodies, such as a fluororesin film | membrane which can form an electric field. If an electrode member 434 formed of an electret is used, the electric charge is held semi-permanently, so that the moving body side power source 350 like the power generation mechanism 304 in FIG. Can be realized.

On the other hand, a plurality of electromotive side electrodes 436 made of a conductor such as copper and generating electromotive force by electrostatic induction are provided at a position facing the electrode member 434, that is, the casing bottom surface 422b. These electromotive side electrodes 436 are connected to a secondary battery 416 serving as a charging circuit.

By configuring the power generation mechanism 404 as described above, the rotor 326 rotates in accordance with muscle contraction generated by applying a voltage to the muscle tissue via the electrode, so that the electrode member 334 and the electromotive side electrode 336 The electrostatic capacity changes between the two, and a current flows through the electromotive side electrode 336 due to electrostatic induction to generate an electromotive force. In this way, contraction of muscle tissue is generated by electrical stimulation, and the electrostatic induction type power generation mechanism 304 is driven using the contraction force and contraction displacement to supply power to the implantable medical device 10. It will be possible to secure the power.

In this way, contraction of the muscular tissue 10 is generated by electrical stimulation, and the electrostatic induction type power generation mechanisms 304 and 404 are driven using the contraction force and contraction displacement, so that the implantable medical device 10 can be applied. Electric power for power supply can be secured. Specifically, when contraction occurs in a muscle of about 2 to 3 cm due to application of a stimulation voltage, the rotors 326 and 426 provided in the power generation mechanisms 304 and 404 are installed even if the stroke of the movable unit 108 and the wire 310 is about 3 mm. By rotating at a high speed of about 600 rpm, it is possible to secure a power of about several tens of μW necessary for driving the implantable medical device 10 such as a pacemaker or ICD.

Therefore, similarly to the electromagnetic induction type power generation mechanism 104, relatively compact and highly efficient power generation is possible without contracting the muscular tissue 20 with high frequency and high frequency, and the amount of muscle used when generating power in the body. Can be reduced. That is, since only the part of the large muscle is used and the function of the other part is maintained, the load on the human body due to the reduction in the amount of muscle used is reduced. Further, since the contraction displacement and contraction force of the muscle tissue 20 for the same work can be adjusted depending on the design of the power generation mechanisms 304 and 404, muscle fatigue is caused when the same 10 μW work (= contraction displacement × contraction force) is applied to the muscle. It becomes possible to set the balance between displacement and force that are difficult to generate.

In this embodiment, the electromotive force is generated in the electromotive side electrodes 336 and 436 by the electrostatic induction type power generation mechanisms 304 and 404. As shown in FIG. 10, the electrostatic induction power generation mechanisms 304 and 404 have a dimension d of the power generation mechanism as compared to the electromagnetic induction power generation mechanism 104 in the in-vivo power generation system 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above. When the product of the moving speed v of the moving body such as the rotor is small, it can be seen that the power generation amount p is large. From this, it can be seen that the electrostatic induction type power generation mechanisms 304 and 404 are more advantageous for downsizing and speed reduction than the electromagnetic induction type power generation mechanism 104.

Furthermore, when the power generation mechanism is the same size, in the electromagnetic induction power generation mechanism 104, the magnet 134 and the coil 136 serving as a power generation unit are each provided with several to several tens of poles. In the electrostatic induction power generation mechanisms 304 and 404, the electrode members 334 and 434 and the electromotive side electrodes 336 and 436, which are power generation units, can be subdivided, and 100 or more poles can be installed. That is, as compared with the electromagnetic induction type power generation mechanism 104, the electrostatic induction type power generation mechanisms 304 and 404 can easily realize multipolarization, and thus the apparatus main body can be reduced in size and speed. In particular, when the electrode member 434 is formed of an electret, even if the power generation mechanism 404 is reduced in size and speed, it is possible to efficiently secure a power generation amount of a predetermined size or more.

Further, compared with the electromagnetic induction type power generation mechanism 104, the electrostatic induction type power generation mechanisms 304 and 404 have a power generation amount p which is inferior when the dimension d and the speed v are increased, but each device. The size of the main body can be reduced. For this reason, it is possible to easily realize the increase of the total power generation amount by connecting the plurality of power generation mechanisms 304 and 404 to increase the total value of the power generation amount p.

For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the power generation mechanism 504 has a multilayer structure in which a plurality of power generation units 538 are provided by an electrode member 534 provided on the moving body 526 side and an electromotive side electrode 536 provided on the casing 522 side. The total power generation amount to the secondary battery 516 serving as a charging circuit can be increased. That is, even when a small amount of power is generated by one power generation unit 538, it is possible to generate power of a predetermined magnitude or more by connecting a plurality of units.

The power generation mechanism 504 of this embodiment is a power generation unit 538 that generates electromotive force by electrostatic induction in the electromotive side electrode 536 by reciprocating movement of the moving body 526. A configuration may be adopted in which an electromotive force is generated by electrostatic induction in the electric side electrode 536. In addition, the multi-layered power generation mechanism 504 in this embodiment is more easily realized by the electrostatic induction type that can be reduced in size, but the power generation unit 538 is an electromagnetic induction type that includes a plurality of magnets and coils. Even if it is feasible.

Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail as described above, it is easily understood by those skilled in the art that many modifications can be made without departing from the novel matters and effects of the present invention. It will be possible. Therefore, all such modifications are included in the scope of the present invention.

For example, a term described together with a different term having a broader meaning or the same meaning at least once in the specification or the drawings can be replaced with the different term in any part of the specification or the drawings. Further, the configuration and operation of the internal power generation system are not limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention, and various modifications can be made.

10 implantable medical device, 20 muscle tissue, 100 in-vivo power generation system, 104, 304, 404, 504 power generation mechanism, 105 lead, 106 electrode, 108 movable part, 110, 310 wire (connection member), 112 fixed member, 112a Contractor muscle shell, 112b ball joint, 112c bone connection plate, 114 rectifier circuit, 116, 316, 416, 516 secondary battery, 118 control unit, 120 external output line, 122, 322, 522 casing, 122b, 322b, 422b bottom , 124, 324 crank gear, 124a, 324a rotating shaft, 124b, 324b arc portion, 125, 325 torsion spring, 126, 226, 326 rotor, 126a, 326a one side, 128 pinion gear (gear member), 30 1st intermediate gear (gear member), 132 2nd intermediate gear (gear member), 134 permanent magnet (magnet), 136 coil, 138, 338 rotating shaft, 140 one-way clutch, 227 spring (elastic member), 228 weight, 229 Groove part, 332 Rotating gear member, 334, 434, 534 Electrode member, 336, 436, 536 Electromotive side electrode

Claims (10)

1. An in-vivo power generation system that is provided in a living body and generates electric power to be supplied to an implantable medical device,
   An electrode provided to be able to apply a voltage to muscle tissue at a predetermined site in the living body;
   A movable portion provided to be movable in a predetermined direction in accordance with detection of contraction of the muscle tissue by application of the voltage to the electrode;
   A power generation mechanism for generating an electromotive force with the movement of the movable part;
   And a control unit that controls the voltage applied to the electrode.
2. The in-body power generation system according to claim 1, further comprising a secondary battery that stores electric power generated by the power generation mechanism.
3. The power generation mechanism is
   A casing,
   A crank gear connected to the connection member and converting a substantially linear motion of the movable portion into a rotational motion;
   A rotor that rotates in conjunction with conversion of the crank gear from the substantially linear motion to the rotational motion;
   A plurality of magnets or electrode members provided in an annular shape on the outer edge side of one surface of the rotor so as to face the bottom surface of the casing;
   3. The in-vivo power generation system according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of coils or electromotive side electrodes provided in a ring shape at a portion facing the magnet or the electrode member on the bottom surface side of the casing.
4. The in-vivo power generation system according to claim 3, wherein the electrode member is formed of an electret.
5. 5. The in-vivo power generation system according to claim 3, wherein the power generation mechanism has a multilayer structure in which a plurality of power generation units including the plurality of magnets and the coils, or the electrode member and the electromotive side electrode are provided. .
6. The in-vivo power generation system according to claim 3, further comprising a plurality of gear members that increase the rotational speed of the rotor in conjunction with the rotational movement converted by the crank gear.
7. The one-way clutch which transmits the said rotational movement to the said rotor only to one direction via one gear member of the said several gear members is provided in the rotating shaft of the said rotor. The in-vivo power generation system described.
8. 8. The weight according to claim 1, wherein a weight is provided inside the rotor through an elastic member that can expand and contract in a radial direction from the center of the rotor. In-body power generation system.
9. The in-vivo power generation system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a fixing member capable of preventing the electrode and the movable part from being detached from the predetermined part.
10. The in-vivo power generation system according to claim 9, wherein the movable part, the casing, and the fixed member are made of a titanium metal.

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