CAPSULE MEDICAL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CAPSULE MEDICAL APPARATUS

• US 20100076258A1
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: KATAOKA, Kanako, SEGAWA, Hidetake
• Granted Patent: US 8,460,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/101
• 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: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A capsule medical apparatus includes a plurality of rigid boards on which functional members are mounted; and a plurality of board-separation keeping units that sandwich the rigid boards to keep the rigid boards separated.

Claims

1. A capsule medical apparatus comprising:

a plurality of rigid boards on which functional parts are mounted; and

a plurality of board-separation keeping units that sandwich the rigid boards to keep the rigid boards separated.

2. The capsule medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the board-separation keeping units include a plurality of fitting portions that are fitted respectively to the rigid boards.

3. The capsule medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the board-separation keeping units include engaging portions that are engaged with each other, and

the fitting portions are fitted respectively to the rigid boards with the board-separation keeping units being engaged with each other by the engaging portions.

4. The capsule medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fitting portions are fitted to at least a part of circumferences of the rigid boards.

5. The capsule medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the board-separation keeping units contain a minimum-thickness area in at least a part of an area excluding the fitting portions.

6. The capsule medical apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the board-separation keeping units include interior wiring that extends to at least the fitting portions, and

the rigid boards are fitted respectively to the fitting portions and are electrically connected to the interior wiring.

7. The capsule medical apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a battery that supplies electric power to the functional parts, wherein

the board-separation keeping units sandwich the rigid boards and support the battery.

8. The capsule medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the board-separation keeping units are a plurality of divided parts obtained by dividing an integrated board separation keeping unit that sandwiches the rigid boards to keep the rigid boards separated, along a long axis of the capsule medical apparatus.

9. The capsule medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the board-separation keeping units serve as a casing that houses therein at least the rigid boards.

10. The capsule medical apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the board-separation keeping units are integrated by laser welding.

11. A method of manufacturing a capsule medical apparatus, comprising:

assembling internal parts that include at least a plurality of rigid boards;

keeping the rigid boards separated by sandwiching the internal parts between the rigid boards and sandwiching the rigid boards, using a plurality of board-separation keeping units; and

sealing in a casing the internal parts that are sandwiched by the board-separation keeping units.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the keeping includes fitting sideways the rigid boards respectively to fitting portions that are formed in the board-separation keeping units.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the keeping includes engaging the board-separation keeping units with each other and fitting the rigid boards respectively to the fitting portions.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the keeping includes integrating the board-separation keeping units, which keep the rigid boards separated, by laser welding.