CAPSULE ENDOSCOPE

• US 20090299144A1
• Filed: 05/26/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: KAWANO, Hironao, ORIHARA, Tatsuya, SEGAWA, Hidetake, SHIGEMORI, Toshiaki, NAGASE, Ayako
• Granted Patent: US 8,439,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00032 internally powered
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00158 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00179 for off-axis viewing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0625 for multiple fixed illumination angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters

Abstract

A capsule endoscope includes a capsule-shaped casing and an imaging unit for taking an image of an inside of an organ in a state where the capsule endoscope is floating in liquid introduced inside the organ of a subject. Specific gravity of the capsule endoscope to the introduced liquid is ρ; a plane divides the capsule endoscope such that a volume ratio is to be ρ:1−ρ. A straight line that connects a center of volume of a portion whose volume ratio is ρ and a center of gravity of the capsule endoscope is substantially perpendicular to the plane. The center of gravity is present at a position farther distant from the plane than the center of volume. A surface of a boundary of a field of view that forms an angle of view of the imaging unit and the plane do not intersect outside the capsule endoscope.

Claims

1. A capsule endoscope comprising a capsule-shaped casing and an imaging unit that is arranged inside the capsule-shaped casing in a fixed manner, the capsule endoscope taking an image of an inside of an organ by the imaging unit in a state where the capsule endoscope is floating in liquid that is introduced inside the organ of a subject, wherein

specific gravity of the capsule endoscope to the introduced liquid is ρ

(ρ

<

1),

a plane divides the capsule endoscope such that a volume ratio is to be ρ

;

1−

ρ

,

a straight line that connects a center of volume of a portion whose volume ratio is ρ and

a center of gravity of the capsule endoscope is substantially perpendicular to the plane, and the center of gravity is present at a position farther distant from the plane than the center of volume, and

a surface of a boundary of a field of view that forms an angle of view of the imaging unit and the plane do not intersect with each other outside the capsule endoscope.

2. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein an optical axis of the imaging unit intersects with a surface of the portion whose volume ratio is ρ

that is obtained by dividing the capsule endoscope by the plane.

3. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the optical axis of the imaging unit intersects with a surface of a portion whose volume ratio is 1−

ρ

that is obtained by dividing the capsule endoscope by the plane.

4. The capsule endoscope according to claim 3, further comprising an imaging unit in which the optical axis intersects with a surface of the portion whose volume ratio is ρ

that is obtained by dividing the capsule endoscope by the plane.

5. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the plane and an optical axis of the imaging unit are substantially perpendicular to each other.

6. The capsule endoscope according to claim 4, wherein an optical characteristic of the imaging unit in which the optical axis and the surface of the portion whose volume ratio is ρ

of the capsule endoscope intersects with each other and an optical characteristic of the imaging unit in which the optical axis intersects with the surface of the portion whose volume ratio is 1−

ρ

of the capsule endoscope are different from each other.

7. The capsule endoscope according to claim 6, wherein the optical characteristics that differ from each other indicate a focal length.

8. The capsule endoscope according to claim 6, further comprising an illuminating unit that illuminates an imaging filed of view of the imaging unit, wherein

the optical characteristics that differ from each other indicate an amount of light of the illuminating unit.

9. The capsule endoscope according to claim 4, wherein the optical axis of the imaging unit whose optical axis intersects with the surface of the portion whose volume ratio is ρ

of the capsule endoscope and the optical axis of the imaging unit whose optical axis intersects with the surface of the portion whose volume ratio is 1−

ρ

of the capsule endoscope are substantially parallel to each other.

10. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, further comprising an optical member for the imaging unit to image an object, wherein

a transparent water-drop protective film is formed on an outer surface of the optical member.

11. The capsule endoscope according to claim 10, wherein the transparent water-drop protective film is any one of a water-repellent film and a hydrophilic film.

12. A capsule endoscope comprising a capsule-shaped casing and an imaging unit that is arranged inside the capsule-shaped casing in a fixed manner, the capsule endoscope taking an image of an inside of an organ by the imaging unit in a state where the capsule endoscope is floating in liquid that is introduced inside the organ of a subject, wherein

specific gravity of the capsule endoscope to the introduced liquid is ρ

(ρ

<

1),

a plane divides the capsule endoscope such that a volume ratio is to be ρ

;

1−

ρ

,

a straight line that connects a center of volume of a portion whose volume ratio is ρ and

a center of gravity of the capsule endoscope is substantially perpendicular to the plane, and the center of gravity is present at a position farther distant from the plane than the center of volume,

the capsule endoscope comprising an illuminating unit that illuminates an imaging field of view of the imaging unit, wherein

a surface of an illumination boundary that forms a distribution angle of illumination light that is emitted by the illuminating unit and the plane do not intersect with each other outside the capsule endoscope.

13. The capsule endoscope according to claim 12, wherein an optical axis of the imaging unit intersects with a surface of the portion whose volume ratio is ρ

that is obtained by dividing the capsule endoscope by the plane.

14. The capsule endoscope according to claim 12 wherein the optical axis of the imaging unit intersects with a surface of a portion whose volume ratio is 1−

ρ

that is obtained by dividing the capsule endoscope by the plane.

15. The capsule endoscope according to claim 14, further comprising an imaging unit in which the optical axis intersects with a surface of the portion whose volume ratio is ρ

that is obtained by dividing the capsule endoscope by the plane.

16. The capsule endoscope according to claim 15, wherein an optical characteristic of the imaging unit in which the optical axis and the surface of the portion whose volume ratio is ρ

of the capsule endoscope intersects with each other and an optical characteristic of the imaging unit in which the optical axis intersects with the surface of the portion whose volume ratio is 1−

ρ

of the capsule endoscope are different from each other.

17. The capsule endoscope according to claim 16, wherein the optical characteristics that differ from each other indicate a focal length.

18. The capsule endoscope according to claim 16, further comprising an illuminating unit that illuminates an imaging filed of view of the imaging unit, wherein

the optical characteristics that differ from each other indicate an amount of light of the illuminating unit.

19. The capsule endoscope according to claim 15 wherein the optical axis of the imaging unit whose optical axis intersects with the surface of the portion whose volume ratio is ρ

of the capsule endoscope and the optical axis of the imaging unit whose optical axis intersects with the surface of the portion whose volume ratio is 1−

ρ

of the capsule endoscope are substantially parallel to each other.

20. A capsule endoscope comprising a capsule-shaped casing and an imaging unit that is arranged inside the capsule-shaped casing in a fixed manner, the capsule endoscope taking an image of an inside of an organ by the imaging unit in a state where the capsule endoscope is floating in liquid that is introduced inside the organ of a subject, wherein

specific gravity of the capsule endoscope to the introduced liquid is ρ

(ρ

<

1),

a plane divides the capsule endoscope such that a volume ratio is to be ρ

;

1−

ρ

,

a straight line that connects a center of volume of a portion whose volume ratio is ρ and

a center of gravity of the capsule endoscope is substantially perpendicular to the plane, and the center of gravity is present at a position farther distant from the plane than the center of volume, and

a distance from a point at which a surface of a boundary of a field of view that forms an angle of view of the imaging unit and the plane intersect with each other to the imaging unit is 3.2 times as long as a distance from a surface of the capsule endoscope to the imaging unit or longer.

21. A capsule endoscope comprising a capsule-shaped casing and an imaging unit that is arranged inside the capsule-shaped casing in a fixed manner, the capsule endoscope taking an image of an inside of an organ by the imaging unit in a state where the capsule endoscope is floating in liquid that is introduced inside the organ of a subject, wherein

specific gravity of the capsule endoscope to the introduced liquid is ρ

(ρ

<

1),

a plane divides the capsule endoscope such that a volume ratio is to be ρ

;

1−

ρ

,

a straight line that connects a center of volume of a portion whose volume ratio is ρ and

a center of gravity of the capsule endoscope is substantially perpendicular to the plane, and the center of gravity is present at a position farther distant from the plane than the center of volume,

the capsule endoscope comprising an illuminating unit that illuminates an imaging field of view of the imaging unit, wherein

a distance from a point at which a surface of an illumination boundary that forms a distribution angle of illumination light that is emitted by the illuminating unit and the plane intersect with each other is 3.2 times as long as a distance from a surface of the capsule endoscope to the imaging unit or longer.