Apparatus for introduction into test body

• US 8,419,617 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2009
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Igarashi, Takatoshi, Kojima, Kazuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Philip R
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOU, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US12/401,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 600/128, 600/130, 600/171
• US Class Current: 600/109
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/273 for the upper alimentary canal, e.g. oesophagoscopes, gastroscopes

Abstract

An apparatus for introduction into a test body includes a functional portion for obtaining information on an inside of a test body; a power source for supplying power for driving the functional portion; and an enclosed container for accommodating the functional portion and the power source. A cross-sectional shape orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the enclosed container is an elliptical shape to make an outer shape small to alleviate a burden on a test subject during introduction into a body by swallowing or the like for test.

Claims

1. An apparatus for introduction into a test body comprising:

a functional portion for obtaining information on an inside of a test body;

a power source for supplying power for driving the functional portion; and

an elongate shaped enclosed container for accommodating the functional portion and the power source, in which a cross-sectional shape orthogonal to a longitudinal direction is an elliptical shape,

wherein the power source is a button type battery, and

wherein the button type battery is located and fixed to the enclosed container so that at least a transverse central axis of the button type battery is oblique at a predetermined angle with respect to a longitudinal central axis of the enclosed container.

2. The apparatus for introduction into a test body according to claim 1, wherein the functional portion is an image pickup unit for picking up an image of an inside of the test body.

3. The apparatus for introduction into a test body according to claim 2, comprising two of the image pickup units in which respective image pickup directions are oblique at a predetermined angle with respect to a longitudinal direction of the enclosed container, and which pick up images in directions opposite to each other.

4. The apparatus for introduction into a test body according to claim 3, wherein a specific gravity of the apparatus is less than 1.

5. The apparatus for introduction into a test body according to claim 4, wherein the button type battery is located so that a center of the button type battery matches a center of the enclosed container.

6. The apparatus for introduction into a test body according to claim 5, wherein the apparatus for introduction into a test body is a capsule type endoscope.

7. The apparatus for introduction into a test body according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus for introduction into a test body is a capsule type endoscope.

8. The apparatus for introduction into a test body according to claim 3, wherein the apparatus for introduction into a test body is a capsule type endoscope.

9. The apparatus for introduction into a test body according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus for introduction into a test body is a capsule type endoscope.

10. The apparatus for introduction into a test body according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus for introduction into a test body is a capsule type endoscope.