Inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope with magnetic guide
Inventors
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-11089946-B2
Publication Date
2021-08-17
Expiration Date
Abstract
An inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope and method of operation is provided. The inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope may include a sensing device for capturing in-vivo images and one or more permanent magnets for magnetically guiding the endoscope, housed interior to a capsule-shaped body. The inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope may include an inflatable buoy attached externally to the capsule-shaped body. An inflation device may inflate the in-vivo capsule endoscope to reduce its specific gravity by injecting gas into the inflatable buoy, such that when the inflatable buoy is injected with an above threshold volume of gas, the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope floats in liquid. The inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope may be magnetically guided via its permanent magnets when exposed to an externally generated magnetic field. A reduced magnetic field strength and external magnet size may be used to magnetically navigate an inflated capsule floating in liquid than a conventional uninflated capsule.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope system for capturing in-vivo images. The system includes an inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope with a capsule-shaped body housing one or more image sensors, and an inflatable buoy external to the capsule-shaped body. The inflatable buoy is positioned inside a liquid-filled cavity of a gastro-intestinal (GI) tract, and an inflation device injects gas into the inflatable buoy.
The inflation device inflates the in-vivo capsule endoscope by injecting gas into the inflatable buoy to reduce the specific gravity of the in-vivo capsule endoscope. When the inflatable buoy is injected with an above threshold volume of gas, the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope is configured to float in liquid of a liquid-filled cavity of the GI tract. Permanent magnets housed interior to the capsule-shaped body having a permanent magnetic moment magnetically guide the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope when exposed to an externally generated magnetic field.
The system further supports tuning and control of buoyancy and navigation using inflation and deflation concepts, including expelling gas through a deflation port to increase specific gravity and cause sinking when the inflatable buoy has a below threshold volume of gas. Inflation can tune floatation height by injecting or expelling gas to a desired volume or pressure relative to the height level of the liquid. Additional embodiments include magnetically guided coupling using an inflatable buoy having a first and second magnetic dipole arrangement with attraction and connection, and an inversion-based release using magnetic repulsion.
In some embodiments, the inflatable buoy includes a corkscrew-shaped surface when inflated to propel the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope forward by rotating in a spiral motion. The corkscrew-shaped surface is described as propelling forward when rotating in a first direction and backwards when rotating in an opposite direction. Asymmetric spiraling force can be achieved by radially spacing permanent magnets from a center of mass to propel the corkscrew-shaped surface when exposed to an externally generated magnetic field.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover an inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope architecture with ex-vivo inflation, buoyant floatation by above-threshold gas, magnetic guidance, density-based floatation and sinking control, buoyancy height tuning, and propulsion and release architectures tied to an externally generated magnetic field and an inflatable buoy.
Inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope buoyant floatation with ex-vivo inflation and magnetic guidance
An inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope system comprising an inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope and an inflation device, wherein the inflation device is an ex-vivo device outside an organism that inflates an in-vivo inflatable buoy positioned inside the organism and attached to the buoy by an elongated tether traversing at least a portion of a GI tract, with a releasable connection between the elongated tether and the capsule-shaped body in ordinary use; and wherein the inflation device injects gas into the inflatable buoy to reduce the specific gravity so that when the inflatable buoy is injected with an above threshold volume of gas, the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope is configured to float in liquid of a liquid-filled cavity of the GI tract; and one or more permanent magnets housed interior to the capsule-shaped body having a permanent magnetic moment magnetically guide the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope when exposed to an externally generated magnetic field.
Density-based floatation at or below water density
The inflation device injects a volume of gas such that the density of the in-vivo capsule endoscope is less than or equal to the density of water.
Density exceedance with magnetic lift force counteraction
The inflation device injects a volume of gas such that the density of the in-vivo capsule endoscope is greater than the density of water by an amount counteracted by a magnetic lift force.
Deflation port specific gravity increase and below-threshold sinking
A deflation device having a deflation port expels gas to increase the specific gravity of the in-vivo capsule endoscope, such that when the inflatable buoy has a below threshold volume of gas, the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope sinks in the liquid.
Floatation height tuning by desired gas volume or pressure
The inflation device injects or expels gas to a desired volume or pressure to tune the floatation height level of the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope relative to the height level of the liquid.
Magnet dipole attraction connection with predefined-field inversion release
The capsule-shaped body comprises a first magnetic dipole and the inflatable buoy comprises a second magnetic dipole, oriented in opposite directions absent a predefined magnetic field to cause magnetic attraction and connection; and one of the first or second magnetic dipole is configured to invert when exposed to the predefined magnetic field, such that the first and second magnetic dipoles are oriented in substantially the same direction to cause magnetic repulsion and release between the inflatable buoy and the capsule-shaped body.
Corkscrew-shaped buoy surface spiral propulsion
The inflation buoy has a corkscrew-shaped surface when inflated to propel the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope forward by rotating in a spiral motion.
Directional spiral rotation forward and backward propulsion
The corkscrew-shaped surface propels the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope forward when rotating in a first direction and backwards when rotating in an opposite direction.
Channel-diameter diameter matching and target pressure propulsion
The inflation device inflates the inflation buoy to a diameter that substantially matches a channel diameter to achieve a target pressure between the endoscope and the channel to propel the endoscope regardless of channel diameter.
Radially spaced permanent magnets for asymmetric spiraling force
The permanent magnets are radially spaced from the center of mass with respect to a radial axis of the capsule-shaped body to cause an asymmetric spiraling force for propelling the corkscrew-shaped surface when exposed to the externally generated magnetic field.
Inflation device as syringe or pump
The inflation device is a syringe or pump.
Buoy encapsulation of capsule portion outside image sensor field of view
The inflatable buoy encapsulates the portion of the capsule-shaped body outside of a field of view of the one or more image sensors.
One-sided sensing device encapsulated by concave buoy inner surface
A one-sided sensing device encapsulated by a concave inner surface of the inflation buoy.
Two-sided sensing device encapsulated by cylindrical buoy inner surface
A two-sided sensing device encapsulated by a cylindrical inner surface of the inflation buoy.
External magnetic control system for magnetic guidance field
A system comprising the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope system and an external magnetic control system to generate the externally generated magnetic field for magnetically guiding the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope.
The claims center on an inflatable buoy inflation and deflation architecture that controls floatation or sinking in a GI tract liquid cavity and enables magnetically guided navigation via permanent magnets and an externally generated magnetic field. Additional claim coverage includes density-based buoyancy conditions, release using dipole inversion, corkscrew-shaped propulsion with directional reversal, channel-diameter matching for target pressure propulsion, buoy encapsulation of sensing regions, and specified sensing-device encapsulation geometries.
Stated Advantages
Floating reduces the specific gravity so the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope is configured to float in liquid of a liquid-filled cavity of the GI tract.
Magnetic guidance is enabled by permanent magnets exposed to an externally generated magnetic field.
Deflation increases specific gravity by expelling gas, enabling the inflatable in-vivo capsule endoscope to sink when the inflatable buoy has a below threshold volume of gas.
Floatation height can be tuned by injecting or expelling gas to a desired volume or pressure relative to the liquid height level.
Propulsion can be provided by a corkscrew-shaped surface via spiral motion.
Propulsion direction can reverse based on rotating in a first direction versus an opposite direction.
Propulsion can occur regardless of channel diameter by inflating the inflation buoy to a diameter that substantially matches a channel diameter to achieve a target pressure between the endoscope and the channel.
Asymmetric spiraling force can be caused for propelling the corkscrew-shaped surface by radially spacing permanent magnets from the center of mass.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
Interested in licensing this patent?