JP5191421B2 - Capsule medical device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a capsule medical device that is swallowed in a living body and observes the inside of a living body lumen by an imaging means.

  As is well known, an endoscopic device that is a medical device includes an imaging device that is an imaging means, and is introduced into a body cavity of a patient, and various examinations of an affected part in the body are performed by observation images taken by the imaging device. It is for performing various treatments.

  In recent years, capsule endoscope apparatuses introduced from the oral cavity for observing the digestive organs such as the esophagus, stomach, large intestine, and duodenum, which are lumens in the living body, have been proposed as such endoscopic apparatuses. ing. In contrast to the conventional configuration in which the capsule endoscope apparatus moves the body lumen only by the peristaltic movement of the organ, in recent years, the capsule endoscope apparatus is provided with a device that generates a propulsive force to move the body lumen smoothly. Various proposals have been made.

  In the technology for generating such a propulsive force, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a capsule endoscope device in which a rotor unit that supplies and discharges fluid in the body and generates a propulsive force in a lumen is incorporated. Has been. In addition, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a capsule medical device having a spiral rotation propulsion unit having a spiral protrusion formed on an outer surface that is driven to rotate by a rotating unit to generate a propulsive force in a lumen. It is disclosed.

  By the way, in medical endoscope devices, regardless of whether they are capsule type endoscope devices, dirt such as mucous membranes and dirt in the body adheres to the observation window of the imaging device, or vapor is generated depending on the usage environment in a humid body. It may be clouded by adhering to the observation window of the imaging device. For this reason, the endoscope apparatus may not be able to acquire a clear photographed image due to poor visibility due to the attachment of the observation window.

For example, Patent Document 3 discloses an image scope provided with a wiper that wipes off dirt on the outer surface of an objective lens.
Furthermore, for example, Patent Document 4 discloses an endoscope catheter device including a catheter body through which an endoscope in which an observation window and an opening of a channel are exposed at a distal end is inserted.

  A shielding member that shields at least a part of an opening of a channel at the distal end portion of the endoscope is formed at the distal end portion of the catheter main body disclosed in Patent Document 4, while relative rotation between the endoscope and the catheter main body is performed. A lock mechanism is also provided as a deterring means for deterring, and a technique is disclosed that can open and close the opening of the channel as necessary. In addition, the endoscope catheter device excludes the air / water supply nozzle, and a wiping member such as a buff is provided on the back surface side of the shielding member. By this wiping member, the endoscope observation window and the illumination window are provided. It is configured to remove attached dirt and the like.

  The capsule-type medical devices disclosed in Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2 described above have dirt and the like attached to the observation window in order to improve the field of view of the imaging device described in Patent Literature 3 and Patent Literature 4. It does not have the structure to remove. Therefore, the conventional capsule medical device has a problem that if the field of view deteriorates due to dirt or the like, a clear captured image cannot be acquired thereafter. It is also conceivable to divert the technology disclosed in Patent Document 3 or Patent Document 4 to a capsule endoscope apparatus.

  However, since a capsule-type medical device is limited in the size that can be swallowed by a patient, it is difficult to incorporate a complicated structure in the main body space. Furthermore, when a capsule-type medical device is introduced into the body, it cannot be operated at hand. For this reason, all of the drive configuration provided by a power source such as a battery built in the main body is fed. When the capacity is increased, the battery becomes large, and there is a problem that the battery does not fit in the main body space having a size restriction.

  In addition, in the medical device of Patent Document 3, when the attached matter attached to the observation window of the imaging device is removed by the wiper, the wiper that moves to the observation image captured by the imaging device is reflected. For this reason, conventionally, the treatment on the affected area is interrupted until the removal of the deposit on the observation window of the imaging device is completed, or treatment is performed with a poor visibility while the wiper moving to the observation image is reflected. There is a problem that must be done.

  Further, in the endoscope catheter device of Patent Document 4, when the dirt such as the observation window of the endoscope is wiped off by the wiping member provided on the back surface side of the shielding member, the observation window becomes the shielding member. As a result, the subject cannot be imaged by the imaging device.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is a device that can move favorably in the lumen of a living body by a propulsive force and generates a propulsive force with a simple configuration. A capsule medical device capable of obtaining a good observation image by an imaging device by preventing the attachment of the attachment to the observation window by using the driving force of the driving source and maintaining the cleanliness of the observation window Is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the capsule medical device of the present invention is a capsule medical device that is introduced into the lumen of a subject, and is incorporated in the main body of the device and images the inside of the lumen from an observation window. And a covering means that is movably provided in the apparatus main body and has an opening formed in a covering surface that covers the observation window, and is disposed in the apparatus main body and driven in the subject by driving. The driving force generating means for generating force, the driving means for simultaneously driving the covering means and the driving force generating means at the same time, the timing at which the imaging means takes in the subject image, the opening and the observation window coincide with each other. Control means for controlling the driving means so as to drive the covering means in synchronism with timing.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to move favorably in the lumen of a living body by a propulsive force, and deposits adhere to the observation window by using the driving force of the driving source of the device that generates the propelling force with a simple configuration. Therefore, it is possible to realize a capsule medical device that can obtain a good observation image by the imaging device by maintaining the cleanliness of the observation window.

The perspective view which shows the structure of the capsule type medical device which concerns on 1st Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of a capsule type medical device FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. Same as the arrow IV in FIG. The perspective view which shows the structure of the capsule type medical device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the structure of a capsule type medical device VII-VII sectional view of FIG. 6 VIII arrow view of FIG. 6

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for example, a capsule endoscope apparatus, which is a capsule medical apparatus provided with an imaging unit that swallows the subject from the oral cavity and images the inside of the body lumen, is exemplified.
(First embodiment)
First, a first embodiment of the capsule medical device of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

A capsule medical device 1 according to the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is a capsule endoscope device for a subject to swallow and observe a lumen in the body.
As shown in FIG. 1, the capsule medical device 1 includes a capsule body 2 that is a device body and a rotation prevention unit 3, and the capsule body 2 and the rotation prevention unit 3 are connected by a shaft body 4. .

  The capsule body 2 has a camera body 5 having an opening 5a formed at the tip thereof, and a tubular body that is rotatably disposed on the outer periphery of the camera body 5 and has a helical protrusion 7 formed on the outer surface. A propulsive force generating portion 6, a rotation covering portion 8 of a covering means that constitutes a covering portion that is rotatably disposed inside the camera body portion 5 and whose tip surface is exposed by the opening 5 a, and the camera body portion 5. It has an observation window 11 and an illumination window 12 that are arranged at the tip portion and are exposed when they coincide with the openings 8a and 8b drilled in the tip surface of the rotation covering portion 8, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the camera body unit 5 includes an imaging unit 20, an LED light source 26 of illumination means that constitutes the illumination unit, a power source unit, here two batteries 27, and the imaging unit 20. A transmitter 28 that wirelessly transmits the converted image signal to the outside, and a motor 31 of a driving unit that constitutes a driving unit are incorporated.

  The imaging unit 20 includes a plurality of, in this case, two objective lenses 22 held by a lens holder 21, a solid-state imaging device 24 of an imaging unit that constitutes an imaging unit such as a CCD or CMOS, and a light receiving unit 23. And a control board 25 of a control means constituting a control unit on which the solid-state imaging device 24 is mounted. In this imaging unit 20, the imaging light (imaging optical axis O in the figure) is condensed on the light receiving unit 23 of the solid-state imaging device 24 by the objective lens 22. The solid-state image sensor 24 photoelectrically converts the photographic light and outputs it to the control board 25.

  The control board 25 outputs an image signal to the transmitter 28 and transmits the image signal from the transmitter 28 to a camera control unit (CCU) which is an external device (not shown). The image taken by the imaging unit 20 is subjected to image processing by a CCU (not shown) and displayed on an external monitor (not shown). The control board 25 also controls driving of the LED light source 26 and the motor 31.

  The two batteries 27 are power supply means that constitute a power supply unit for driving the imaging unit 20, the LED light source 26, and the motor 31. The two batteries 27 are electrically connected to the control board 25 of the imaging unit 20 by an electric cable for power supply. The control board 25 is wired with power supply and signal transmission / reception communication cables individually connected to the LED light source 26, the transmitter 28, the motor 31, and the like.

  Incidentally, the surface of the most advanced objective lens 22 of the imaging unit 20 constitutes the observation window 11 in the present embodiment. And the illumination window 12 of this Embodiment is comprised from the transparent cover glass arrange | positioned at the front end surface of the camera main-body part 5 so that the LED light source 26 may be covered.

  In the motor 31, a motor gear 32 provided on the motor rotation shaft meshes with a plurality of gears 34 and 35 built in the camera body 5. One gear 35 of these gears (gears) 34 and 35 is supported by a bearing 36 on a gear shaft parallel to the longitudinal axis of the camera body 5 so as to be rotatable. The gear 35 transmits the rotational driving force of the motor 31 to the rotary cover 8 that is rotatably disposed in the camera body 5.

The outer surface of the rotary covering portion 8 is closed and the outer surface having one surface (covering surface 18 serving as the distal end surface in FIG. 2) in which two openings 8a and 8b are formed has a substantially cylindrical shape (cup shape). ing.
The rotation covering portion 8 is installed in a space portion of substantially the same shape formed in the camera body portion 5, and around the longitudinal central axis C of the camera body portion 5 (hereinafter also referred to as around the central axis C along the longitudinal direction). It is arranged to be freely rotatable. The rotation covering portion 8 includes an inward flange 17 at the inner peripheral portion of the proximal end, and a gear groove 8c that meshes with teeth (gear grooves) formed on the outer periphery of the gear 35 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the inward flange 17. Has been. That is, the base portion of the rotation covering portion 8 is a cylindrical gear.

  Further, the rotation covering portion 8 has a substantially columnar protrusion portion 15 protruding toward the base end side at the center portion of the covering surface 18. The protrusion 15 engages with a recess 16 formed in the center of the front end surface of the camera body 5 in a state where the rotation cover 8 is provided on the camera body 5, and extends along the longitudinal direction of the camera body 5. This prevents the rotation covering portion 8 rotating around the central axis C from rotating. Therefore, the rotation covering portion 8 receives the rotation of the gear 35 meshed with the motor gear 32 when the driving force of the motor 31 is received, and does not cause rotation blur, and smoothly rotates in a predetermined direction around the longitudinal central axis C of the camera body 5. It is designed to rotate.

  The propulsive force generator 6 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and is rotatably disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the camera body 5. As described above, the propulsive force generating portion 6 has the spiral protrusion 7 formed on the outer peripheral surface.

  In addition, at both end portions of the propulsive force generating portion 6, projections 6 b that protrude inward from the inner surface are formed. These protrusions 6 b are engaged with a circumferential groove 5 b formed on the outer periphery of the camera body 5. Further, a gear groove 6 a that meshes with the gear 34 is formed in the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral surface of the middle portion of the propulsive force generating portion 6. That is, the propulsive force generation unit 6 is a cylindrical gear in the middle.

  Note that three gears 34 according to the present embodiment are arranged in the camera body 5 as shown in FIG. These gears 34 are rotatably supported by bearings 33 (see FIG. 2) so that they can rotate freely, and are meshed with the motor gear 32 of the motor 31. Yes. That is, the gear 34, the motor gear 32 of the motor 31, and the gear groove 6 a of the propulsion force generator 6 constitute a planetary gear mechanism.

  Accordingly, the propulsive force generating unit 6 receives the rotation of the three gears 34 that are engaged with the motor gear 32 by the driving force of the motor 31, and moves around the longitudinal central axis C in the predetermined direction along the outer peripheral portion of the camera body 5. It is designed to rotate. As a result, the propulsive force generating unit 6 can generate the propulsive force in the direction in which the helical projection 7 formed on the outer periphery contacts the inner wall of the lumen and advances the capsule medical device 1. That is, the propulsive force generating unit 6 is configured to convert the output of the motor 31 into propulsive force.

  The helical projection 7 is set in a spiral shape that generates a propulsive force in the direction in which the capsule medical device 1 is advanced according to a predetermined rotation direction of the propulsive force generating unit 6 that is rotated by the planetary gear mechanism. Yes.

  The rotation preventing unit 3 is a member for preventing the camera body unit 5 from rotating together with the propulsive force generating unit 6 and a plurality of grooves 3a are formed on the outer peripheral portion along the longitudinal axis. Has been. That is, the rotation preventing unit 3 rotates around the longitudinal axis of the camera body 5 connected via the shaft body 4 by friction generated when the plurality of grooves 3a come into contact with the inner wall of the lumen when introduced into the living body. To prevent. In addition, since the plurality of groove portions 3a are formed along the traveling direction, the capsule medical device 1 is not hindered from moving in the traveling direction.

  The capsule medical device 1 of the present embodiment configured as described above is swallowed into a living body lumen. At this time, in the capsule medical device 1, the propulsive force generating unit 6 for generating the propulsive force that moves forward in the lumen that receives the driving force of the motor 31 rotates in a predetermined direction, and the rotation covering unit 8 also Rotate at the same time. The rotation covering portion 8 rotates so that the two openings 8a and 8b formed in the covering surface 18 move around the central axis C along the longitudinal direction of the camera body portion 5, as shown in FIG. .

  More specifically, the rotation covering portion 8 takes an image with the imaging unit 20 and the center position A where the rotation position at which the observation window 11 completely overlaps with the opening portion 8a of the covering surface 18 is the opening center of the opening portion 8a. The position of the subject image coincides with the photographing optical axis O. At this time, the illumination window 12 is completely exposed to overlap with the opening 8b of the covering surface 18, and the center position B serving as the opening center of the opening 8b coincides with the center of the illumination window 12.

  Then, the rotation covering portion 8 extends in the longitudinal direction of the camera body 5 so that the center position A that is the opening center of the opening 8a passes through a position that coincides with the photographing optical axis O of the subject image photographed by the imaging unit 20. Moves around the central axis C along the axis. Similarly, the center position B, which is the opening center of the opening 8b, also passes through a position along the longitudinal direction of the camera body 5 so as to pass through a position that coincides with the shooting optical axis O of the subject image shot by the imaging unit 20. Move around axis C.

  As described above, the capsule medical device 1 introduced into the lumen advances by the propulsive force generated by the rotation of the propulsive force generating unit 6, and the rotation covering unit 8 always has the longitudinal central axis C of the camera body unit 5. The rotation is controlled around. At this time, the capsule medical device 1 corresponds to the timing of the frame rate of the imaging unit 20 so that the timing at which the opening 8a of the rotation covering unit 8 moves to a position coinciding with the observation window 11 of the imaging unit 20 matches. In addition, the driving of the motor 31 that rotates the rotation covering portion 8 is controlled by the control board 25.

  That is, the control substrate 25 is configured so that the opening 8 a of the rotation covering portion 8 is not in the imaging unit 20 in synchronization with the timing when the subject image is captured by the imaging unit 20 of the capsule medical device 1 when the rotation covering portion 8 rotates. The drive of the motor 31 is controlled so as to coincide with the observation window 11. As described above, this timing is a timing at which the center position A of the opening 8a of the rotation covering portion 8 coincides with the photographing optical axis O of the subject image incident on the imaging unit 20.

  For example, when the frame rate of the image pickup unit 20 is 60 fps, the light enters the image pickup unit 20 and the center position A of the opening 8a of the rotation covering portion 8 in synchronization with this frame rate, that is, in synchronization with the timing of capturing an image. The rotary cover 8 is rotated around the longitudinal central axis C of the camera body 5 so that the photographing optical axes O of the subject images coincide. In other words, the rotation covering portion 8 rotated by the motor 31 is controlled by the control board 25 so that the rotation speed of the rotation covering portion 8 around the longitudinal central axis C of the camera body portion 5 is 60 rotations / sec.

  As described above, in the capsule medical device 1 according to the present embodiment, the opening 8a of the rotation covering portion 8 is the observation window of the imaging unit 20 at the moment (timing) when the imaging unit 20 captures the subject image. 11, the observation window 11 is exposed through the opening 8 a of the rotary cover 8. As a result, the capsule medical device 1 reduces the exposure time of the observation window 11 of the imaging unit 20, maintains cleanliness, cloudes the surface of the observation window 11, and mucous membranes and dirt in the lumen scatter. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the adhesion of dirt.

  At this timing, the illumination window 12 is also exposed because the opening portion 8b of the rotary covering portion 8 coincides, so that cleanliness is maintained and illumination light from the LED light source 26 is not hindered by dirt or the like. Illumination light is emitted toward the subject.

  As described above, the capsule medical device 1 according to the present embodiment rotates the rotation covering unit 8 to reduce the exposure time of the observation window 11 of the imaging unit 20 that captures the subject image, that is, captures the subject image. Since the structure is exposed only occasionally, dirt hardly adheres to the observation window 11 and a clear observation image can always be obtained by the imaging unit 20. Similarly, since the capsule medical device 1 is less likely to be contaminated with the illumination window 12, it is possible to irradiate the subject with clear illumination light.

  Furthermore, since the opening 8a of the rotation covering unit 8 matches the observation window 11 that is an observation window corresponding to the timing of the frame rate of the imaging unit 20, the capsule medical device 1 does not obstruct the view, An unnecessary configuration, that is, the inner surface of the rotation covering portion 8 is not reflected.

  The capsule medical device 1 according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which a driving source that rotates the propulsive force generation unit 6 and the rotation covering unit 8 is shared by one motor 31. As a result, the capsule medical device 1 does not need to have a large capacity of the battery 27 and can maintain the life of the battery 27 as compared with a configuration in which a plurality of drive sources (motors 31) are driven. . In addition, the capsule medical device 1 does not need to be equipped with a plurality of driving sources (motors 31) for driving the propulsive force generating unit 6 and the rotation covering unit 8, and a battery 27 having a large capacity. Enlargement of the capsule body 2 including the portion 5 is prevented, and the size that can be swallowed and introduced into the lumen can be maintained.

In the above-described configuration, the configuration in which the opening portion 8a of the rotation covering portion 8 is one is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of the opening portions 8a are provided in the rotation covering portion 8, and the opening portions 8a are provided. Depending on the number, the control board 25 may drive and control the motor 31 so that the rotation speed of the rotation covering portion 8 corresponds to the timing of the frame rate of the imaging unit 20. In other words, the rotation covering unit 8 is controlled to rotate so that the opening 8a and the observation window 11 are aligned with the timing of the frame rate of the imaging unit 20 regardless of whether the number of the opening 8a is one or more. It is good also as composition to be able to.
In such a configuration, the gear ratio of the planetary gear mechanism that rotates the propulsive force generation unit 6 may be set as appropriate so that the propulsive force that advances the capsule medical device 1 does not decrease.

  Further, even when the capsule medical device 1 is not used, if the capsule medical device 1 is moved to the position where the observation window 11 of the imaging unit 20 is covered with the rotation covering portion 8 so that the observation window 11 is not exposed, the observation window 11 is prevented from being soiled. be able to.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, based on FIG. 5 to FIG. 8, a second embodiment of the capsule medical device of the present invention will be described below. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as those of the capsule medical device according to the first embodiment, and descriptions of these components and effects are omitted.

  The capsule medical device 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with a multi-wing propeller 60 in the rotation covering portion 8 instead of the propulsion force generation unit 6 which is the propulsion force generation means of the first embodiment, and the propulsion advances. It is configured to generate force.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the capsule medical device 1 has a substantially cylindrical shape in which a base end portion of a capsule main body 51 which is a main body of the device is formed in a hemispherical shape in which a spheroid is halved. ing.
As in the first embodiment, the capsule body 51 is rotatably provided with a rotation covering portion 8. In addition, the capsule body 51 is formed with an opening 51a so that the surface of the coating 18 of the rotary coating 8 is exposed at the tip surface, and a plurality of, here six, fluid suction ports are formed around the opening 51a. 52 is formed. Furthermore, a plurality of, in this case, six fluid discharge ports 53 corresponding to the number of fluid suction ports 52 are formed at the proximal end portion of the capsule main body 51. A partition wall portion 54 formed integrally with the capsule body 51 is provided between the six fluid discharge ports 53 adjacent to each other.

  As shown in FIG. 6, each fluid suction port 52 and each fluid discharge port 53 communicate with a fluid duct 55 that is a cylindrical fluid cave formed in the capsule body 51. That is, the capsule main body 51 has a circumferential fluid duct 55 in the vicinity of the outer peripheral portion. In addition, the capsule main body 51 includes a substantially cylindrical portion serving as an outer peripheral portion sandwiching the fluid duct 55 and a substantially cylindrical portion on the inner peripheral side provided between the fluid discharge ports 53 at the base end portion. They are integrally formed by being connected by two partition wall portions 54.

  As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, in the rotation covering portion 8 of the present embodiment, a multi-blade propeller 60 is integrally disposed on the base end outer peripheral portion where the inward flange 17 of the base end portion is provided. . The multiblade propeller 60 rotates along the cross-sectional direction of the fluid duct 55 when the rotary covering portion 8 is rotationally driven by the motor 31. That is, the multiblade propeller 60 sucks the fluid from the fluid suction ports 52 into the fluid ducts 55 and discharges the fluids from the fluid discharge ports 53 by rotating the rotary covering portion 8. The fluid that is sucked and discharged by the multiblade propeller 60 is a gas, liquid, or the like in the lumen.

  As described above, the capsule medical device 1 according to the present embodiment generates a propulsive force that moves forward by the fluid discharged from each fluid discharge port 53 in the lumen of the living body. That is, the multiblade propeller 60 is a propulsive force generating means that constitutes the propulsive force generating unit in the present embodiment, which converts the output of the motor 31 into the propulsive force.

  The capsule medical device 1 of the present embodiment is the same as the capsule medical device of the first embodiment as shown in FIG.

  The capsule medical device 1 of the present embodiment configured as described above is swallowed into a living body lumen as in the first embodiment. At this time, in the capsule medical device 1, the rotation covering portion 8 that receives the driving force of the motor 31 rotates together with the multi-wing propeller 60 in a predetermined direction. Then, in the capsule medical device 1, forward driving force is generated by the fluid sucked from each fluid suction port 52 and discharged from each fluid discharge port 53 by the rotation of the multiblade propeller 60.

  Further, in this case as well, as shown in FIG. 8, the rotary covering portion 8 has two openings 8 a and 8 b formed in the covering surface 18 that move around the central axis C along the longitudinal direction of the capsule body 51. Rotate to.

  That is, as in the first embodiment, the rotation covering portion 8 passes through a position where the center position A, which is the opening center of the opening 8a, coincides with the photographing optical axis O of the subject image photographed by the imaging unit 20. As described above, the capsule body 51 moves around the central axis C along the longitudinal direction. Again, the center position B, which is the opening center of the opening 8b, is a center along the longitudinal direction of the capsule body 51 so as to pass through a position that coincides with the photographing optical axis O of the subject image photographed by the imaging unit 20. Move around axis C.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the capsule medical device 1 introduced into the lumen is advanced by the propulsive force generated by the rotation of the multi-blade propeller 60, and the rotation covering portion 8 is always the capsule body 51. The rotation is controlled around the longitudinal central axis C of the. Also in the present embodiment, the capsule medical device 1 moves to a position where the opening 8 a of the rotation covering portion 8 matches the observation window 11 of the imaging unit 20 in accordance with the frame rate timing of the imaging unit 20. The control board 25 controls the drive of the motor 31 that rotates the rotation covering portion 8 so that the timing is appropriate.

  That is, the control substrate 25 is configured so that the opening 8 a of the rotation covering portion 8 is not in the imaging unit 20 in synchronization with the timing when the subject image is captured by the imaging unit 20 of the capsule medical device 1 when the rotation covering portion 8 rotates. The drive of the motor 31 is controlled so as to coincide with the observation window 11. As described above, this timing is a timing at which the center position A of the opening 8a of the rotation covering portion 8 coincides with the photographing optical axis O of the subject image incident on the imaging unit 20.

Therefore, also in the capsule medical device 1 of the present embodiment, the opening 8a of the rotation covering portion 8 coincides with the observation window 11 of the imaging unit 20 at the moment (timing) when the imaging unit 20 captures the subject image. The observation window 11 is exposed to the position of the opening 8a of the rotary cover 8, the exposure time of the observation window 11 of the imaging unit 20 is reduced, cleanliness is maintained, and the observation window 11 is maintained. As a result, cloudiness of the surface and mucous membranes, dirt and the like in the lumen are scattered, and adhesion of dirt can be prevented. In this case as well, the illumination window 12 is exposed because the opening 8b of the rotary covering portion 8 is coincident, so that cleanliness is maintained and the illumination light from the LED light source 26 is not hindered by dirt or the like, so that it is clear. Illumination light is emitted toward the subject.
From the above description, the capsule medical device 1 of the present embodiment is also configured to obtain the same effects as those of the first embodiment.

  According to the capsule medical device 1 of each of the embodiments described above, the driving force of the driving source of the device that generates a propulsive force with a simple configuration while being able to move favorably within the lumen of the living body by the propulsive force. By using this, it is possible to prevent a deposit from adhering to the observation window and maintain the cleanliness of the observation window, thereby obtaining a good observation image by the imaging device.

  In addition, the invention described in each of the above embodiments is not limited to the embodiment and modifications, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. is there. Further, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements.

  For example, even if several constituent requirements are deleted from all the constituent requirements shown in the embodiment, the problem to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the effect described in the effect of the invention can be obtained. A configuration from which this configuration requirement is deleted can be extracted as an invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Capsule type medical device 2 ... Capsule body part 3 ... Anti-rotation part 3a ... Groove part 4 ... Shaft body 5 ... Camera body 5a ... Opening part 5b ... Circumferential groove 6 ... Propulsion force generation part 6a ... Gear groove 6b ... Projection part 7 ... helical projection 8 ... rotation coating 8a, 8b ... opening 8c ... gear groove 11 ... observation window 12 ... illumination window 15 ... projection 16 ... concave 17 ... inward flange 18 ... covering surface 20 ... imaging unit 21 ... lens Holder 22 ... Objective lens 23 ... Light receiving unit 24 ... Solid-state imaging device 25 ... Control board 26 ... Light source 27 ... Battery 28 ... Transmitter 31 ... Motor 32 ... Motor gears 33 and 36 ... Bearings 34 and 35 ... Gears A and B ... Center position C ... Longitudinal central axis O ... Shooting optical axis

US 6,958,034 B2 JP 2006-149581 A JP-A-8-29699 JP-A-5-103748

Claims (5)

In a capsule medical device introduced into the lumen of a subject,
An imaging means built in the apparatus main body for imaging the lumen from the observation window;
Covering means that is movably provided in the apparatus main body and has an opening formed in a covering surface that covers the observation window;
A propulsive force generating means disposed in the apparatus main body and generating a propulsive force in the subject by being driven;
Driving means for simultaneously driving the covering means and the propulsive force generating means simultaneously;
Control means for controlling the drive means so as to drive the covering means in synchronism with the timing at which the imaging means captures the subject image and the timing at which the opening and the observation window coincide with each other;
A capsule-type medical device comprising:   The capsule medical device according to claim 1, wherein the covering means is rotatably arranged in the device main body.   3. The capsule medical device according to claim 1, wherein an opening center of the opening coincides with a photographing optical axis of the subject image at a timing when the subject image is captured by the imaging unit. .   The propulsive force generating portion has a spiral protrusion on the outer peripheral portion, and is driven to rotate around the longitudinal central axis of the apparatus main body by the driving means, and the spiral protrusion contacts the lumen wall. The capsule medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a propulsive force is generated.   The propulsion force generation unit is a multi-blade propeller disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the covering means, and rotates around the longitudinal central axis of the apparatus main body to suck and discharge fluid into the apparatus main body for propulsion. The capsule medical device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a force is generated.

Images