Capsule medical device

• US 8,306,592 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Takizawa, Hironobu, Kawano, Hironao, Uchiyama, Akio, Segawa, Hidetake, Homan, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fardanesh, Marjan
• Application Number:
  US11/013,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,883 Days
• Field of Search: 600309-344, 600/345, 600/347, 600/361, 422/44, 422/82.02, 422/125, 436/150, 436/171
• US Class Current: 600/310
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• 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 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/245 Means for cleaning the sensor in-situ or during use, e.g. hygienic wipes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes

Abstract

A capsule casing of a capsule medical device has a chemical sensor inside, used for sensing operation. The chemical sensor has a recovery device which resets the chemical sensor to an initial state thereof so as to use the chemical sensor for the sensing operation a plurality of times or continuously.

Claims

1. A capsule medical device having a chemical sensor used for sensing operation, comprising:

a capsule casing;

a chemical sensor arranged in the capsule casing;

a heater arranged on a back side of the chemical sensor in the capsule casing; and

a recovery device, arranged in the capsule casing, configured to recover the chemical sensor substantially to an initial state thereof so as to use the chemical sensor for sensing operation a plurality of times or continuously by controlling heating of the chemical sensor by the heater so as to dry a sensor surface used for sensing operation of the chemical sensor and to remove an undesired substance on the sensor surface.

2. A capsule medical device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an opening/closing cover which protects the sensor surface of the chemical sensor.

3. A capsule medical device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a control unit controlling the two adjacent chemical sensors, wherein one of the chemical sensors is covered with the cover, the other chemical sensor that is not covered with the cover performing the sensing operation.

4. A capsule medical device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor surface recovery device comprises a cleaning unit which cleans the sensor surface of the chemical sensor by a cleaning solution.

5. A capsule medical device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control unit which periodically operates the sensor surface recovery device.

6. A capsule medical device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an illuminating unit which illuminates the inside of the living body;

an image pick-up unit which picks-up an image of an illuminated portion; and

an image pick-up control unit which controls the illuminating unit, the image pick-up unit, and the chemical sensor in association therewith.

7. A sensing method of a capsule medical device having a chemical sensor, comprising:

a first step of introducing the capsule medical device in the body;

a second step of sensing an examination target by the chemical sensor; and

a third step of, after the second step, performing recovery processing for resetting the chemical sensor substantially to an initial state thereof by heating the chemical sensor so as to dry a sensor surface used for sensing operation of the chemical sensor and to remove an undesired substance on the sensor surface at a set timing.

8. A sensing method of a capsule medical device according to claim 7, wherein the inside of the body is photographed in association with the sensing operation in the second step.