Capsule type micro-robot moving system

• US 7,365,509 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2006
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Park, Hyun-Jun, Park, Suk-Ho, Kim, Byung-Kyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro; Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US11/431,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20060257234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 901/1, 600/101, 600/109, 600/112, 600/114
• US Class Current: 318/568.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00156 using self propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00345 Micromachines, nanomachines, microsystems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters

Abstract

A capsule type micro-robot moving system moves on an organ'"'"'s wall covered with mucilage at a high speed. The present invention provides a capsule type micro-robot moving system, which is structured such that a head is formed in a semi-spherical shape and the outer surface of the capsule is coated with an anti-adhesion coating agent for reducing friction against organs during the movement, particularly, is structured to move as long as a linear stroke corresponding to the distance between the driving part and the inner cylinder in the state that the limbs folded in and unfolded out of the capsule completely contact and stick to the walls of the organs, resulting in providing the reliability and moving more rapidly.

Claims

1. A capsule type micro-robot moving system comprising:

at least one limb folded when moving forward and unfolded to contact a wall of an organ when moving backward,

an inner cylinder having a locking groove formed in the outer circumference thereof;

a driving part for moving the inner cylinder in the longitudinal direction;

an outer cylinder having a hollow part formed therein to surround the inner cylinder;

at least one first exposing hole penetrating the outer circumference of the outer cylinder in the longitudinal direction;

the limb hinged to the outer cylinder to rotate by a predetermined range, exposed over the first exposing hole when the limb is unfolded due to the rotation, and hided in the first exposing hole when the limb is folded due to the rotation;

a capsule for surrounding the outer cylinder; and

at least one second exposing hole aligned with the first exposing hole respectively and formed in the longitudinal direction of the capsule such that the limb is exposed over the capsule when the limb is unfolded;

wherein the limb is folded or unfolded by the interferences between the locking groove and the limb according to the movement direction of the inner cylinder.

2. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the limb is formed as having a bended portion.

3. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capsule type micro-robot has a plurality of limbs.

4. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the outer cylinder has a continuous hinge recess formed in the circumferential direction thereof, and wherein a rotation center hole is formed at the rotation center of the respective limb, and that a wire passes through the rotation center holes of the limbs in series and is placed in the hinge recess.

5. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the limb is formed as having a bent portion, and all the limbs having a bent portion are installed to face one direction.

6. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the limbs comprise:

a first group of the limbs having a bent portion hinged to the outer cylinder to rotate by a predetermined range so as to face one direction; and

a second group of the limbs having a bent portion hinged to the outer cylinder to rotate by a predetermined range so as to face the opposite direction to the first group thereof.

7. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the limbs in the first group and the limbs in the second group are arranged alternately.

8. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the outer cylinder is able to rotate by a predetermined amount with respect to the inner cylinder,

the inner cylinder has locking protrusions formed at the sides of the locking groove such that when the inner cylinder is rotated by a predetermined angle, the first group interferes with the locking protrusions and the second group is free between the locking protrusions so that only the first group is folded and unfolded according to the movement of the inner cylinder, and

when the inner cylinder is rotated reversely by the predetermined angle, the second group interferes with the locking protrusions and the first group is free between the locking protrusions so that only the second group is folded and unfolded according to the movement of the inner cylinder.

9. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one rotation prevention recess formed in the outer circumference of the outer cylinder; and

at least one rotation prevention protrusion formed in the inner circumference of the capsule to be engaged with the rotation prevention recess.

10. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner cylinder has a hollow part penetrating the central portion thereof,

the inner cylinder has at least one groove formed in the outer circumference of the inner cylinder in the longitudinal direction to prevent the inner cylinder from rotating within the outer cylinder;

the outer cylinder has a protrusion formed in the inner circumference of the outer cylinder and engaged with the groove; and

the driving part comprises;

a motor installed to the rear side of the capsule; and

a screw rod rotated in association with the rotation of the motor and fastened in the hollow part of the inner cylinder.

11. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner cylinder has a hollow part penetrating the central portion thereof,

the inner cylinder has a protrusion formed in the outer circumference of the inner cylinder to prevent the inner cylinder from rotating within the outer cylinder;

the outer cylinder has a groove formed in the inner circumference of the outer cylinder in the longitudinal direction and engaged with the protrusion;

the driving part comprises;

a motor installed to the rear side of the capsule; and

a screw rod rotated in association with the rotation of the motor and fastened in the hollow part of the inner cylinder.

12. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a guide hole penetrating the inner cylinder in the longitudinal direction; and

a guide rod penetrating and fixed in the guide hole;

wherein the driving part comprises;

a motor installed to the rear side of the capsule; and

a screw rod rotated in association with the rotation of the motor and fastened in the hollow part of the inner cylinder.

13. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a camera installed in a head of the capsule.

14. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the camera has a semi-spherical shape.

15. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of minute protrusions is formed in the ends of the unfolded limbs.

16. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the minute protrusions comprise cilia.

17. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 16, wherein flexible joints are formed in the ends of the limbs.

18. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capsule is coated with an anti-adhesion agent.

19. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving part comprises a PZT linear motor.

20. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a communication unit for communicating the inside of the capsule with the exterior of the capsule.

21. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking groove is vertically caved to form a flat bottom.

22. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 1, wherein adhesive plates are made of high frictional and soft material and are installed to the ends of the limbs.

23. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the bottoms of the adhesive plates are made of flexible materials and have a plurality of protrusions.

24. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 22, wherein each of the adhesive plates has a plurality of cilium-shaped protrusions.

25. The capsule type micro-robot moving system as claimed in claim 24, wherein a ratio of a diameter to a height of the protrusions ranged 1:

1 to 1;

100.