Ingestible pressure sensing capsule

• US 20070129703A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Smartpill Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: The Smartpill Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: D'Andrea, David, Negron, Laura, Semler, John
• Application Number:
  US11/294,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129703A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/503
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/036 by means introduced into body tracts A61B5/032 and A61B5/035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters

Abstract

An improved capsule (15) for sensing a contractual force within a mammalian tract, comprising a shell (16), a flexible sleeve (17) affixed to the shell and defining a chamber (19) between the shell and the sleeve, and a pressure sensor (18) operatively arranged to sense pressure within the chamber, whereby a contraction force on the outside of the sleeve produces a corresponding pressure change within the chamber. The chamber may contain a fluid (22) and the fluid may be mineral oil.

Claims

1. A capsule for sensing a contractual force within a mammalian tract, comprising:

a shell;

a flexible sleeve affixed to said shell and defining a chamber between said shell and said sleeve; and

a pressure sensor operatively arranged to sense pressure within said chamber;

whereby a contraction force on the outside of said sleeve produces a corresponding pressure change within said chamber.

2. The capsule set forth in claim 1, wherein said shell is rigid and said sleeve is more elastic than said shell.

3. The capsule set forth in claim 1, wherein said chamber contains a fluid.

4. The capsule set forth in claim 3, wherein said fluid is mineral oil.

5. The capsule set forth in claim 3, wherein said chamber is filled with said fluid to a base pressure and said sensor senses an increase in pressure in said chamber above said base pressure.

6. The capsule set forth in claim 1, wherein said chamber contains a gas.

7. The capsule set forth in claim 6, wherein said gas is inert.

8. The capsule set forth in claim 3, wherein said shell has an interior surface and an exterior surface, and said sensor is supported by said interior surface of said shell.

9. The capsule set forth in claim 1, wherein said shell comprises a fluid port communicating with said chamber.

10. The capsule set forth in claim 9, wherein said sensor, said chamber and said port are operatively arranged such that said sensor senses an increase in pressure in said port.

11. The capsule set forth in claim 10, wherein said sensor is a piezoelectric bridge or an oscillator coil and diaphragm.

12. The capsule set forth in claim 1, and further comprising:

a second sleeve affixed to said shell and defining a second chamber between said shell and said second sleeve; and

a second pressure sensor operatively arranged to sense pressure within said second chamber;

whereby a contraction force on the outside of said second sleeve produces a corresponding pressure change within said second chamber.

13. The capsule set forth in claim 1, and further comprising a plurality of ribs extending from said shell and supporting said sleeve.

14. The capsule set forth in claim 13, wherein said ribs are configured to form a plurality of sub-chambers, whereby a force on said sleeve produces a corresponding pressure in a sub-chamber that is channeled by said ribs towards said sensor.

15. The capsule set forth in claim 13, wherein said sleeve is stretched over said ribs.

16. The capsule set forth in claim 1, wherein said sleeve has an open end and a closed end and said open end is attached to said shell with adhesive.