Body insertable apparatus and body-insertable apparatus system

• US 8,177,712 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Fujimori, Noriyuki, Suzushima, Hiroshi, Orihara, Tatsuya, Homan, Masatoshi, Nakatsuchi, Kazutaka, Honda, Takemitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Philip R
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOU, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US11/631,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20070232851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,514 Days
• Field of Search: 600/102, 600/109, 600/114, 600/127, 600/160, 600/176, 600/302
• US Class Current: 600/176
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging

Abstract

To provide a capsule endoscope in which a degree of appearance of a sting-like member in a captured image is reduced, a capsule endoscope (2) includes an optical system (18) having a predetermined principal point, an imaging unit (19) which captures light focused by the optical system (18), and an attachment member (28) which is arranged at a predetermined position on a window portion (17a) having optical transparency and forming a portion of an outer casing member (17) housing the optical system (18) and the imaging unit (19). The capsule endoscope (2) further includes a traction member (29) having one end secured to the attachment member (28) and extending by a predetermined distance in a direction from the optical system (18) toward a position of the attachment member (28). Since the traction member (29) has such a structure, an appearance of an image of the traction member (29) can be reduced at the imaging unit (19).

Claims

1. A body insertable apparatus which is introduced inside a subject and travels through the inside of the subject, comprising:

an optical system which focuses light introduced from outside onto a predetermined surface;

an outer casing member which houses the optical system and includes a window portion to introduce light from outside into the optical system;

an attachment member which is formed at a predetermined portion of the window portion; and

a traction member whose one end is secured by the attachment member and which extends by a predetermined distance towards an outside of the window portion in a direction from a principal point of the optical system toward the predetermined portion.

2. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

the attachment member is formed on a portion on an extension of an optical axis of the optical system in the window portion, and

the traction member is arranged so that the traction member extends by the predetermined distance on the extension of the optical axis of the optical system.

3. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attachment member is formed so that a longitudinal direction of the attachment member coincides with the direction from the principal point of the optical system toward the predetermined portion.

4. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the attachment member is formed so that a longitudinal direction of the attachment member coincides with the direction from the principal point of the optical system toward the predetermined portion.

5. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical system is arranged so that a direction of an optical axis coincides with a central axis in a longitudinal direction of the outer casing member.

6. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the optical system is arranged so that a direction of an optical axis coincides with a central axis in a longitudinal direction of the outer casing member.

7. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the optical system is arranged so that a direction of an optical axis coincides with a central axis in a longitudinal direction of the outer casing member.

8. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the optical system is arranged so that a direction of an optical axis coincides with a central axis in a longitudinal direction of the outer casing member.

9. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an imaging unit which generates image data based on light focused by the optical system; and

a transmitting unit which transmits a radio signal containing the image data generated.

10. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

an imaging unit which generates image data based on light focused by the optical system; and

a transmitting unit which transmits a radio signal containing the image data generated.

11. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising

an imaging unit which generates image data based on light focused by the optical system;

and

a transmitting unit which transmits a radio signal containing the image data generated.

12. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

an imaging unit which generates image data based on light focused by the optical system; and

a transmitting unit which transmits a radio signal containing the image data generated.

13. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

an imaging unit which generates image data based on light focused by the optical system; and

a transmitting unit which transmits a radio signal containing the image data generated.

14. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

an imaging unit which generates image data based on light focused by the optical system; and

a transmitting unit which transmits a radio signal containing the image data generated.

15. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

an imaging unit which generates image data based on light focused by the optical system; and

a transmitting unit which transmits a radio signal containing the image data generated.

16. The body insertable apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

an imaging unit which generates image data based on light focused by the optical system; and

a transmitting unit which transmits a radio signal containing the image data generated.

18. The body-insertable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traction member is a string-like member.

19. The body-insertable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after the body-insertable apparatus is introduced inside the subject, a travel speed of the body-insertable apparatus inside the subject can be controlled by manipulation of the traction member.

20. The body-insertable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traction member is treated to prevent reflection.

21. The body-insertable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traction member is formed from a biocompatible material or is absorbed by the subject over time.

22. The body-insertable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an end of the extension of the traction member is located further than a focusing point of the optical system from the attachment member.

17. A body-insertable apparatus system, comprising:

a body insertable apparatus which is introduced inside a subject, captures an intra-subject image, and transmits a radio signal containing the intra-subject image captured; and

a receiving device which receives the radio signal transmitted from the body insertable apparatus, wherein

the body insertable apparatus includes

an optical system which focuses light introduced from outside onto a predetermined surface,

an outer casing member which houses the optical system and includes a window portion to introduce light from outside to a field of view defined by the optical system, and

a traction member whose one end is secured by an attachment member formed at a predetermined portion of the window portion and which extends by a predetermined distance towards an outside of the window portion in a direction from a principal point of the optical system toward the predetermined portion, and

the receiving device includes

a receiving circuit which performs a predetermined receiving process on the radio signal received by a receiving antenna, and

a signal processing unit which extracts image information from a signal subjected to the receiving process by the receiving circuit.