Capsule medical apparatus and current-carrying control method

• US 7,675,394 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation, Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Shiotani, Koichi, Fujimori, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad; Elvin G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Talpalatskiy; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US11/639,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20070171012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 335151-153, 600/117
• US Class Current: 335/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00036 Means for power saving, e.g. sleeping mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/182 Electrical shielding, e.g. using a Faraday cage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to readily initiate an operation of a capsule medical apparatus which is inserted into a subject and executes a predetermined function. In a capsule endoscope 3 according to the present invention, a reed switch 14 connected to a power supply unit and a function executing unit is arranged parallel to a direction of a longitudinal axis t of a capsule-like casing 16 in the substantially cylindrical capsule-like casing 16 of the capsule endoscope 3. A pair of movable electrodes of the reed switch 14 operates according to magnetic induction of a magnetic field of a magnet 6 applied substantially parallel to the direction t of the longitudinal axis of the capsule-like casing 16, and come into contact with each other. As a result, power supply from the power supply unit to the function executing unit is allowed.

Claims

1. A capsule medical apparatus comprising:

a function executing unit that executes a predetermined function;

a power supply unit that supplies power to the function executing unit;

a main capsule body that houses the function executing unit and the power supply unit;

a switch that is housed in the main capsule body, that has a pair of contacts which come into contact with each other and separate from each other according to a magnetic induction of a magnetic field applied from an outside of the main capsule body, and that connects the function executing unit and the power supply unit via the pair of contacts to allow conduction or to shield conduction; and

a direction index that is visible from outside the capsule medical apparatus, and that indicates a direction of the magnetic field which causes contact and separation of the pair of contacts;

wherein the function executing unit has an illuminating unit which emits illuminating light, the main capsule body further houses an illumination board provided with the illuminating unit, and the direction index is formed on the illumination board in such a manner that the direction of the magnetic field can be visually recognized from the outside of the main capsule body.

2. The capsule medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the switch is a reed switch, and

the reed switch is arranged so that a lead extending direction is vertical to a direction of a longitudinal axis of the main capsule body.

3. The capsule medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the main capsule body is substantially cylindrical in shape and is formed in a rotationally symmetrical shape about a direction of a longitudinal axis, and

the switch is arranged parallel to the direction of the longitudinal axis.

4. The capsule medical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the direction index is formed inside the main capsule body or on an outer wall portion of the main capsule body in such a manner that the direction of the magnetic field can be visually recognized from the outside of the main capsule body.