Motion control system for module type capsule robot in body

• US 10,058,391 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2014
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Kim, Laehyun, Kang, Sung Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): KASZTEJNA, MATTHEW JOHN
• Application Number:
  US14/496,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20150105797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 600114, 600115, 600153-159, 604 9501- 9505
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00156 using self propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/303 specifically adapted for manipulations within body lumens, e.g. within lumen of gut, spine, or blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/733 arranged only on one side of the patient, e.g. under a table
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A motion control system includes a first capsule robot, which includes a first housing, a first shaft configured to be movable bi-directionally, the first shaft having a first permanent magnet at an outer end, a first leg unit configured to protrude outwards from the first housing, and a first control unit; and a second capsule robot, which includes a second housing, a second shaft configured to be movable bi-directionally, the second shaft having a second permanent magnet at an outer end, a second leg unit, and a second control unit, wherein the first capsule robot is fixed with respect to an the internal organ wall by protruding the first leg unit to the internal organ, and wherein the second capsule robot is connected to the first capsule robot as the first permanent magnet comes into contact with the second permanent magnet by an attractive force.

Claims

1. A motion control apparatus, comprising:

a first capsule robot comprising a first housing, a first shaft bi-directionally movable along a first extension hole formed in a surface of the first housing, wherein the first shaft comprises a first permanent magnet at an outer end of the first shaft, a first leg unit configured to protrude outwards from the first housing and insertable into the first housing, and a first control unit configured to control operations of the first shaft and the first leg unit; and

a second capsule robot comprising a second housing, a second shaft bi-directionally movable along a second extension hole formed in a surface of the second housing, wherein the second shaft comprises a second permanent magnet at an outer end of the second shaft, a second leg unit configured to protrude outwards from the second housing and insertable into the second housing, and a second control unit configured to control operations of the second shaft and the second leg unit,

wherein the first capsule robot is configured to be fixed at a first location on an internal organ wall by protruding the first leg unit to the internal organ wall, and

wherein the second capsule robot is configured to be connected to the first capsule robot as the first permanent magnet comes into contact with the second permanent magnet by an attractive force.

2. The motion control apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the first shaft further comprises a hinge enabling the first permanent magnet to rotate.

3. The motion control apparatus of claim 1,

wherein an outer end of the first leg unit and an outer end of the second leg unit are made of soft plastic or rubber.

4. The motion control apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the second capsule robot is configured to be fixed with respect to the internal organ wall by protruding the second leg unit to the internal organ wall while being connected to the first capsule robot,

wherein the first and second capsule robots are configured to move the first capsule robot by a distance from the first location to a second location by

the first capsule robot inserting the protruded first leg unit into the first housing and moving the first shaft out of the first capsule robot, and

the second capsule robot moving the second shaft out of the second capsule robot, and

wherein the first capsule robot is configured to be fixed at the second location by protruding the inserted first leg unit to the internal organ wall.

5. The motion control apparatus of claim 4,

wherein the second capsule robot is configured to move toward the first capsule robot by the distance by inserting the protruding second leg unit into the second housing and moving the second shaft into the second capsule robot.

6. The motion control apparatus of claim 4,

wherein the second capsule robot is configured to insert the protruded second leg unit into the second housing, and

wherein the first capsule robot is configured to move the second capsule robot toward the first capsule robot by the distance by moving the first shaft into the first capsule robot.

7. The motion control apparatus of claim 4,

wherein the first capsule robot is configured to move the first shaft into the first capsule robot, and

wherein the second capsule robot is configured to move the second shaft into the second capsule robot so that the first capsule robot and the second capsule robot are separated from each other.

8. The motion control apparatus of claim 7,

wherein the first capsule robot is configured to insert the first leg unit into the first housing to separate from the internal organ wall, or the second capsule robot is configured to insert the second leg unit into the second housing to separate from the internal organ wall.

9. The motion control system apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the second capsule robot is configured to be fixed to the internal organ wall by protruding the second leg unit to the internal organ wall while being connected to the first capsule robot,

wherein the first and second capsule robots are configured to move the first capsule robot toward the second capsule robot by a distance from the first location to a second location by

the first capsule robot inserting the protruded first leg unit into the first housing and moving the first shaft into the first capsule robot, and

the second capsule robot moving the second shaft into the second capsule robot, and

wherein the first capsule robot is configured to be fixed with respect to the internal organ wall at the second location by protruding the inserted first leg unit to internal organ wall.

10. The motion control apparatus of claim 9,

wherein the first and second capsule robots are configured to move the second capsule robot by the distance in a direction opposite to the first capsule robot to a third location by

the second capsule first robot inserting the protruded second leg unit into the second housing and moving the second shaft out of the second capsule robot, and

the first capsule robot moving the first shaft out of the first capsule robot, and

wherein the second capsule robot is configured to be fixed with respect to the internal organ wall at the third location by protruding the inserted second leg unit to the internal organ wall.

11. The motion control apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the first capsule robot further comprises a first camera at a first surface, and the second capsule robot further comprises a second camera at a second surface.

12. The motion control apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the first capsule robot further comprises a first communication module and the second capsule robot further comprises a second communication module,

wherein the motion control system further comprises an external control device located outside of the internal organ wall,

wherein the first communication module or the second communication module is configured to transmit image data, obtained from the first camera or the second camera, to the external control device, and

wherein the external control device comprises a display device configured to display the transmitted data and a database configured to store the transmitted data.

13. The motion control apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the first capsule robot comprises a first communication module and the second capsule robot further comprises a second communication module,

wherein the motion control system further comprises an external control device located outside of the internal organ wall,

wherein the external control device is configured to transmit an operation command or power to the first control unit and the second control unit, and

wherein the first control unit and the second control unit are configured to control the first capsule robot and the second capsule robot, respectively, according to the operation command.

14. The motion control system for a module type capsule robot in a body according to claim 1, wherein the second capsule robot further includes:

a fourth extension hole formed at a side opposite to the second extension hole; and

a fourth shaft configured to be movable bi-directionally along the fourth extension hole, wherein the fourth shaft includes a fourth permanent magnet at an outer end,

wherein the motion control system further comprises a third capsule robot, which includes a third housing configuring an appearance, a third shaft configured to be movable directionally along a third extension hole formed at one surface of the third housing, wherein the third shaft included a third permanent magnet at an outer end, a third leg unit configured to protrude outwards from the third housing and be insertable into the third housing, a third communication module configured to transmit or receive a signal to/from another party, and a third control unit configured to control operations of third shaft, the third leg unit and the third communication module, and

wherein the third capsule robot is configured to be connected to the second capsule robot as the fourth permanent magnet comes into contact with the third permanent magnet by an attractive force.