Capsule apparatus with rigid and flexible wiring board sections

• US 7,775,971 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2006
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Fujimori, Noriyuki, Suzushima, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Leubecker; John P
• Application Number:
  US11/488,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20060264704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 600/109, 600/110, 600/130, 600/160, 600/476, 600/407, 600/302, 348/76
• US Class Current: 600/110
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• 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: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence

Abstract

An capsule-type medical apparatus includes a sealed container; and a wiring board which is housed in the sealed container and on which a functional circuit performing a predetermined function while the capsule-type medical apparatus is inserted into a subject is mounted. The wiring board includes a plurality of comparatively rigid wiring board sections on which parts constituting the functional circuit are mounted, and a comparatively flexible wiring board section that connects the plurality of the rigid wiring board sections. The flexible wiring board is extended from a straight-line portion formed on the rigid wiring board sections, and the flexible wiring board section is folded so that the adjacent rigid wiring board sections oppose to each other.

Claims

1. A capsule-type medical apparatus, comprising:

a sealed container; and

a wiring board which is housed in the sealed container and on which a functional circuit performing a predetermined function while the capsule-type medical apparatus is inserted into a subject is mounted, the wiring board including

a plurality of comparatively rigid wiring board sections on which parts constituting the functional circuit are mounted, the rigid wiring board sections being disk-shaped, and

a comparatively flexible wiring board section that connects the plurality of the rigid wiring board sections in series, wherein

each of the rigid wiring board sections include, along a periphery, a straight-line portion provided orthogonally with respect to an extending direction of the flexible wiring board section, and

the flexible wiring board section is folded along the straight-line portion so that the adjacent rigid wiring board sections oppose to each other.

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

an interior of the sealed container has a circular cross-section, and

each straight-line portion is formed by removing a section of the rigid wiring board section from which the flexible wiring board section is extended.

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

the rigid wiring board section has a dimension such that the rigid wiring board section fits inside the sealed container, and

a space for arranging the flexible wiring board section is formed between the sealed container and the straight-line portion.

4. An capsule-type medical apparatus, comprising:

a sealed container; and

a wiring board which is housed in the sealed container and on which a functional circuit performing a predetermined function while the capsule-type medical apparatus is inserted into a subject is mounted, the wiring board including

a plurality of rigid wiring board sections on which parts constituting the functional circuit are mounted, the rigid wiring board sections being disk-shaped, and

a flexible wiring board section that connects the plurality of the rigid wiring board sections in series so that the adjacent rigid wiring board sections oppose to each other, wherein

each of the rigid wiring board sections include, along a periphery, a straight-line portion provided orthogonally with respect to an extending direction of the flexible wiring board section,

the flexible wiring board section is folded along the straight-line portion so that the adjacent rigid wiring board sections oppose each other, and

parts with a protruding height that exceeds a predetermined threshold being mounted on the rigid wiring board sections that oppose to each other at such positions that the parts do not oppose to each other.

5. The capsule-type medical apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the opposing rigid wiring board sections are bonded by a resin sealant before the rigid wiring board sections are housed in the sealed container.

6. The capsule-type medical apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the resin sealant has an electrical insulating property.