Body-insertable apparatus and manufacturing method thereof

• US 8,038,646 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Kawano, Hironao
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEDWAY, SCOTT J
• Application Number:
  US11/658,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20080294101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,195 Days
• Field of Search: 604/67, 604131-133, 604/891.1, 600/16
• US Class Current: 604/67
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0266 Shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14586 pressurised by means of a flexible diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/152 pressurised by contraction of elastic reservoirs containers for dispensing contents by contraction of an elastic bag provided therein, in general B65D83/0061
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/02 having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms F04B43/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2251/08 Shape memory

Abstract

A body-insertable apparatus which can make the volume smaller by simplifying a mechanism taking in or throwing out predetermined fluid is realized. The body-insertable apparatus has a configuration having, in a housing, a balloon member, a communication adjusting mechanism, a control circuit, and a power source part and forms a storage chamber by the balloon member and an outer circumferential member (sheet holding substrate and part of the housing) covering the outer surface of the balloon member. In the body-insertable apparatus, a first communication pipe communicated with the inner space of the balloon member and a second communication pipe communicated with the outer space are formed. The communication adjusting mechanism communicates the first communication pipe with the second communication pipe based on an electric current output from the control circuit. The inner space of the balloon member is communicated with the outside of the body-insertable apparatus. The outside fluid is flowed into the storage chamber via an inlet with the contracting operation of the balloon member.

Claims

1. A body-insertable apparatus that is introduced into a body and performs predetermined fluid in the body, comprising:

a storage chamber formed inside an outer circumferential member of the body-insertable apparatus and storing the predetermined fluid;

a flow generating unit that has an expansion and contraction film which contracts with changes in the shape of the expansion and contraction film, and generates a flow state of the predetermined fluid based on a negative pressure emerged between the storage chamber and the body based on the contracting of the expansion and contraction film; and

a control unit that controls the contracting operation of the expansion and contraction film;

a first communication pipe communicating with the storage chamber or the inside of the expansion and contraction film, one end of the first communication pipe being opened to the storage chamber or the inside of the expansion and contraction film; and

a second communication pipe communicating the first communication pipe with the outside of the body-insertable apparatus, one end of the second communication pipe being opened to the outside of the body-insertable apparatus, an other end of the second communication pipe being opened to an other end of the first communication pipe;

wherein the flow generating unit has a communication adjusting mechanism for adjusting a communication state between the first communication pipe and the second communication pipe according to control of the control unit, and

the communication adjusting mechanism includes;

a sheet holding substrate through which the first communication pipe and the second communication pipe pass, and including a concave region to which the other end of the first communication pipe and the other end of the second communication pipe are opened;

a sheet member that covers the concave region and directly controls the communication state between the other end of the first communication pipe and the other end of the second communication pipe, the other end of the first communication pipe and the other end of the second communication pipe being provided at one side of the sheet member; and

a pressing member that is provided at an other side of the sheet member, and applies a predetermined pressing force against the sheet member so as to block the communication state between the other end of the first communication pipe and the other end of the second communication pipe according to the control of the control unit.

2. The body-insertable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the expansion and contraction film is formed of elastic material.

3. The body-insertable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flow generating unit includes a balloon member that has a film-like member including in at least part thereof the expansion and contraction film, and that generates the flow state based on changes in an internal volume with the contracting.

4. The body-insertable apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an opening communicating a space region covered by an outer surface of the balloon member and an inner surface of the outer circumferential member formed to cover an outer surface of the balloon member with an outer space of the body-insertable apparatus is provided in part of the outer circumferential member.

5. The body-insertable apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the storage chamber has an outer wall formed by the balloon member and the outer circumferential member formed to be spaced at a predetermined distance from an outer surface of the balloon member in an outside of the balloon member so as to store the predetermined fluid in a space region covered by the outer surface of the balloon member and an inner surface of the outer circumferential member.

6. The body-insertable apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an opening communicating the storage chamber with an outer space of the body-insertable apparatus is provided in part of the outer circumferential member.

7. The body-insertable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication adjusting mechanism includes:

a spring member that generates the predetermined pressing force; and

a shape memory member that changes the pressing force so as to communicate the other end of the first communication pipe and the other end of the second communication pipe according to the control of the control unit.