In vivo imaging device and method of manufacture thereof

• US 20050171398A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Khait, Semion, Gilad, Zvika
• Granted Patent: US 7,833,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/102
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0011 Manufacturing of endoscope parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/042 characterised by a proximal camera, e.g. a CCD camera
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• 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: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A substantially spherical in vivo imaging device may be used for imaging body lumens in the GI tract. The imaging device may include for example a ballast weight for setting a preferred orientation of the device within the body lumen. The substantially spherical shape of the in vivo imaging device may facilitate capturing steady streams of imaging data in large body lumens. A method of manufacture is presented.

Claims

1. An in vivo imaging device comprising:

a circuit board having a rigid section and a flexible section;

a transmitter; and

an antenna mounted on said rigid section.

2. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is a single ring or a coil.

3. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is mounted on the periphery of the rigid section.

4. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 1, comprising an isolation element.

5. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 4, wherein the isolation element is selected from a group consisting of:

an opaque barrier, a translucent barrier, a light trap, and an optical filter.

6. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 4 wherein the isolation element is an extension of a component of said in vivo imaging device.

7. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 6 where in the component is selected from a group consisting of:

a dome, a lens, an illumination source, an image sensor, and a support.

8. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 4, wherein the isolation element supports an optical system.

9. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 4, wherein the antenna is embedded within said isolation element.

10. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 9, wherein the antenna is coiled within said isolation element.

11. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 4, wherein the antenna is wrapped around the isolation element:

12. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 1 wherein the device is autonomous.

13. An in vivo imaging device comprising:

a circuit board having a rigid section;

wherein said rigid section having a first and second face, the first face having thereon an antenna; and

the second face of the rigid section having thereon a transmitter.

14. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 13, comprising an image sensor.

15. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 13, wherein the antenna is selected from a group consisting of:

a single ring and a coil.

16. The in vivo imaging device according to claim 13, wherein the antenna is mounted around the periphery of the rigid section.

18. The method according to claim 13, comprising folding the circuit board such that the rigid sections of the circuit board are stacked vertically.

19. The method according to claim 13, comprising mounting the antenna on a first plane of the rigid section and mounting a transmitter on a second plane.

20. The method according to claim 13, comprising mounting the antenna on a first plane of the rigid section and mounting a battery support on a second plane.

17. A method of manufacturing an in vivo imaging device, the method comprising:

mounting an antenna on a rigid section of a circuit board having a plurality of rigid sections and a plurality of flexible sections; and

folding the circuit board into an in vivo imaging device housing.