JPH09122131A - Capsule for medical use - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a suction port from being clogged by a solid object, to smoothly absorb body fluid, to prevent the solid object from advancing into a check valve, to make the entire shape smaller and to make it easy to swallow down. SOLUTION: This capsule is composed of a power supply case 1, a housing case 2 attached to the power supply case 1, a sampling cylindrical body 10 inside the housing case 2, the check valve 13 provided on one end of the sampling cylindrical body 10 and a piston 11 fitted to the other end of the sampling cylindrical body 10 and arranged slidably on the inner periphery of the housing case 2 through a spring 15 attached in a compressed state by the sampling cylindrical body 10. Samples are sampled through the check valve 13 by the sliding on the inner periphery of the housing case 2 of the piston 11. To the peripheral part of the sampling part of the check valve 13, a cap 14 for the check valve 13 for which a sampling hole is formed and a notched part communicated with the sampling hole 14a is formed is attached.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medical capsule for collecting a body fluid or the like or administering a drug at a predetermined position in a living body, and more particularly, a medical capsule suitable for collecting a sample in the digestive tract. It relates to a capsule for use.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, body fluids such as gastric juice have been collected for the purpose of diagnosing diseases and the like.
In such a case, a medical capsule is known as an instrument for collecting a sample in a living body.

In this medical capsule, an open portion is provided in a part of a capsule-shaped closed casing. When the medical capsule reaches a predetermined position in the body by being swallowed by a patient or the like, the open portion is opened. After opening, the body fluid is collected or the drug previously enclosed in the capsule is administered, and after use, it is discharged from the anus and collected.

This medical capsule has attracted attention in the medical industry because it is extremely small, easy to swallow, and does not cause pain. For this medical capsule,
A capsule is provided with a digestive membrane, and the piston is actuated by the destruction of the digestive membrane in the target digestive organ to collect body fluid or administer a drug (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 52-131678).
No.) or a coil made of shape memory alloy and heated by resonance due to irradiation of high frequency, and the piston operates due to the restoring force (JP-A-62-240038), or a reed switch by a magnetic force from the outside. There is known one which is activated, heats a filament, cuts a fixed thread, and operates a piston by a coil spring to collect body fluid or administer a drug (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-36848).

This technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-36848, as shown in FIG. 8, is formed so that the entire outer shape is substantially elliptical in cross section, and is attached to both ends of the main body block 30. The outer cylinder 31 and the lid 32,
A first sample collection port 33 provided in the outer cylinder 31, a piston 34 slidably provided in the outer cylinder 31, and the main body block 30 for urging the piston 34 in one direction. A coil spring 35 provided between them, a second sampling port 36 formed on the side of the piston 34, a filament 37 provided on the main body block 30,
A fixed thread 38 having one end fixed to the piston 34 and the other end attached to the main body block 30 to fix the piston 34 to the main body block 30, a battery 39 for supplying power to the filament 37, and a power supply from the battery 39. Is a medical capsule having a switching means 40 for controlling ON / OFF, cutting the fixed thread 38 by energizing the filament 37 and sliding the piston 34, the switching means 40 comprising: What is constituted by a normally open reed switch that is turned on by magnetic force is shown.

Although such a technique has a high technical significance as such, there are the following problems to be improved. When a medical capsule is actually used in the body, when collecting a sample, the solid substance in the digestive tract sticks to the suction port of the medical capsule and blocks the suction port of body fluid, or the solid substance rushes into the suction port. In some cases, this solid matter may interfere with smooth suction, and it is necessary to solve this problem. In order to make it easier for the patient to drink, it is desirable that the medical capsule has a smaller shape for a given amount of suction and collection.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. That is, the problem of the present invention is that the suction port is not blocked by the solid matter in the digestive tract when the medical capsule is used in the body,
The purpose is to be able to smoothly absorb body fluids.

In addition to the above problems, the problem of the present invention is that
It is to prevent solids from rushing into the check valve. Furthermore, by making the overall size of the medical capsule smaller while securing the amount of suction and collection of the sample of the medical capsule, it is easier for the patient to drink. Especially.

[0009]

The present invention has taken the following means in order to solve the above problems.

In the medical capsule according to the first aspect, a power supply case having a battery and a reed switch provided therein, a storage case detachably attached to one end of the power supply case, and a large-diameter portion formed at one end. A sampling cylinder attached to the storage case via the large-diameter portion, a check valve provided at one end of the sampling cylinder, and an outer wall of the cylindrical section having a substantially U-shaped section and including a cylindrical section and a dish section. Is a piston slidable on the inner wall surface of the storage case and the inner wall of the tubular portion is in contact with the outer wall of the sampling tubular body, and a spring interposed in a compressed state between the large diameter portion and the piston, A medical capsule that collects a sample through a check valve by sliding a piston in a storage case,
A check valve cap having a sampling hole and a notch communicating with the sampling hole was provided around the sampling portion of the check valve.

In the medical capsule according to a second aspect, in addition to the means according to the first aspect, the depth of the cut portion is smaller than the thickness of the check valve cap.

In the medical capsule according to a third aspect, in addition to the means according to the first or second aspect, the outer surface of the check valve cap is formed in a convex shape and the check valve cap is provided. It is made of a porous material.

According to another aspect of the medical capsule of the present invention, a power supply case having a battery and a reed switch provided therein, a storage case detachably attached to one end of the power supply case, and a large diameter portion formed at one end. A sampling cylinder attached to the storage case via the large diameter portion, a check valve provided at one end of the sampling cylinder, and a tubular section having a substantially U-shaped section and comprising a tubular section and a dish-shaped section. The outer wall is slidable on the inner wall surface of the storage case, and the inner wall of the tubular portion is composed of a piston in contact with the outer wall of the sampling cylinder, and a spring interposed in a compressed state between the large diameter portion and the piston, Thread holes are made in the cylindrical portion of the piston and the sampling cylinder, respectively, so that both thread holes are in communication with each other, and a fixing thread that locks the piston at the tip of the sampling cylinder in these thread holes is in a tensioned state. , And fix the piston to the tip of the sampling cylinder with this fixing thread. At the same time, the fixed thread is cut by turning on the reed switch, and the medical capsule that collects the sample by sliding the piston in the storage case is located at the position of the inner side hole of the thread hole formed on the piston side. On the other hand, the position of the outer hole was provided on the side of the dish.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The details of the medical capsule C will be described below. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a medical capsule C showing an embodiment of the present invention. This medical capsule C is
As shown in FIG. 1, a storage case 2 having the same outer shape is detachably screwed into one end of a cylindrical power supply case 1 to be continuously provided, and the power supply case 1 and the storage case 2 have a continuous outer surface. It is formed into a circular tubular body. A partition wall 3 is provided at an intermediate portion of the power supply case 1, and a reed switch 4 is provided on one side thereof.
And three lithium batteries 5 are mounted in the power supply case 1 on the other side.

At the other end of the power supply case 1, there is provided a battery retainer 6 which also serves as a lid with the lithium battery 5 incorporated therein. First and second terminals 7 and 8 are provided at both ends of the lithium battery 5, and one lead wire 7 connected to the first terminal 7 is provided.
a is connected to a filament 16a forming a heating element via a nichrome wire 16, the other lead wire 8a connected to the second terminal 8 is connected to the reed switch 4, and is further connected in series with the reed switch 4. It is connected to the filament 16 a through the nichrome wire 16. The filament 16a is arranged so as to be locked or adjacent to the fixed thread 12 described later.

One side of the power supply case 1 is closed by a shield wall 9 having two nichrome wire holes 9a, 9a. Therefore, the reed switch 4 and the lithium battery 5 are arranged in the sealed space. A degassing hole 2 a is formed in the vicinity of the power supply case 1 in a storage case 2 which is continuously formed at one end of the power supply case 1 and has a cylindrical cross section.
The gas vent hole 2a serves as a release hole when a drug or the like is released into a living body.

At the end of the storage case 2 opposite to the power supply case 1, a sampling cylinder 10 is installed. Collection cylinder 1
In the large diameter portion 10a, 0 is screwed into the storage case 2 and is provided with a small diameter portion 10b following the large diameter portion 10a. The small diameter portion 10b is provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical small diameter portion 10b. 10
A piston 11 is arranged slidably in the length direction of b.

The piston 11 is formed in the shape of an ashtray as a whole, has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and comprises a tubular portion 11b and a dish portion 11c. The outer wall of the tubular portion 11b is slidable on the inner wall surface of the storage case 2. The inner wall of the tubular portion 11b is in contact with the outer wall of the sampling barrel 10. The cylindrical portion 11b has thread holes 11a, 11a.
And the sampling cylinder 1 near the thread hole 11a.
In the small diameter portion 10b of 0, thread holes 10c and 10c are respectively formed at two positions so as to communicate with the thread holes 11a and 11a.

A fixed thread 12 made of a material having a relatively low melting point such as nylon thread is wound around the bottom wall 11b of the piston 11 in a ring shape through the thread holes 10c, 10c and the thread holes 11a, 11a. Therefore, the piston 11 is locked and locked by the small diameter portion 10b by the fixing thread 12. Incidentally, relatively large sample passages 10d and 10d are provided near the large diameter portion 10a of the small diameter portion 10b.

Further, a check valve 13 made of silicon rubber or the like is fitted and fixed at the center of the large diameter portion 10a,
The check valve 13 is provided with a suction hole (not shown) through which body fluid can move from outside the medical capsule C only into the storage case 2. Further, an outwardly convex check valve cap 14 is provided on one end surface of the storage case 2 and one end surface of the check valve 13 so as to be convex outward.

As shown in FIG. 2, the check valve cap 14 has a body fluid sampling hole 14a and a notch portion 14b around the hole 14a.
・ Is formed. The cut portion 14b communicating with the sampling hole 14a may be formed so as to penetrate to the bottom of the check valve cap 14 (FIG. 2), but as shown in FIG. 4, the check valve cap 14 is formed. It may be formed only in the upper portion in the thickness direction of the. The check valve cap 14 uses an elastic material such as rubber as a material, but the material is not limited to this and may be made of metal. The above is the first point in the embodiment of the present invention.

The second point of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below. A spring 15 is interposed in a compressed state between the shoulder portion of the large diameter portion 10a of the collection cylinder 10 and the piston 11, and the spring 15 constantly presses the piston 11 toward the power supply case 1 side. There is. However, as shown in FIG. 5, the piston 11 is locked to the sampling cylinder 10 by the fixed thread 12, so unless the thread 12 is cut off, the piston 11 is fixed to the power supply case 1 side. It never moves.

In other words, the reed switch 4 is turned on, and the energy of the lithium battery 5 causes the nichrome wire 1
Only when the filament 16a, which constitutes the heating element connected to the tips of Nos. 6 and 16, is heated and the fixed yarn 12 having a low melting point is melted and cut, the piston 11 moves the inside of the storage case 2 into the power supply case 1. It moves to the side at high speed by the spring pressure of the spring 15, and the sample is sucked through the check valve 13.

By the way, it has been described that the thread hole 10c is formed in the small diameter portion 10b and the thread hole 11c is formed in the piston 11, but in the present embodiment, the thread hole 1c is formed.
1c, as shown in FIG.
Piston 1 from the 0 side toward the storage case 2 side of the outer hole opening
1 is formed to be inclined toward the bottom surface side. As a result, the position of the large diameter portion of the piston 11 may be arranged on the side of the power supply case 1 by the amount that the thread hole 10c is inclined. Therefore, the space for storing the sample on the left side in FIG.

The medical capsule C in this embodiment is constructed as described above, and the reed switch 4 is turned on by the magnetic force of the actuating device S acted from outside the living body. Next, the actuating device S for actuating the medical capsule C in the living body will be described. An in-vitro actuating device S, which is a switching device for the medical capsule C, is described in FIGS. In the operating device S, a substantially C-shaped iron core 22 is arranged on a bed 21 having casters 20 ... At its bottom, and coils 23, 23 'are wound around both ends of the iron core 22. It is connected to the DC power supply 24.

The magnetic pole 25 of the upper coil 23 'is provided so as to be movable up and down, and the screw jack 2 is moved by rotating the stopper handle 26.
7 is performed. The distance between the upper and lower magnetic poles is 20-4
0 cm is adopted. An adjuster foot (not shown) for fixing the actuating device S is provided below the bed 21, and a cover 28 is provided above it. Note that reference numeral 2
Reference numeral 9 is a line of magnetic force.

The principle of this actuating device S is as shown in FIG. In this specification, the diameter of the magnetic pole is 15 cm, the air gap is variable from 20 to 40 cm, and the generated magnetic field is 40 c.
It is about 200 Oersted (Oe) in the range of 15 cm in the center between the magnetic poles with an m gap and DC 10 A. The number of coil turns is 1100T for a PVF diameter of 2.0 mm. The DC resistance is about 9.2 ohms at 20 ° C. The power source used is 10 A at 110 VDC or more.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. In the above example, swallowing a medical capsule,
When an X-ray or the like is used to confirm when the target position in the body is reached, the actuating device S is activated, and strong magnetic lines of force are concentrated on the body. Therefore,
The reed switch 4 can be turned on regardless of the angle of the medical capsule C.

With the above construction, when the reed switch 4 is turned on, the fixed thread 12 is burned off by the heating element 16a at the tip of the nichrome wire 16, and the piston 11 is quickly moved to the power supply case 1 side by the force of the spring 15. . Piston 11
The air on the power supply case 1 side is discharged from the gas vent hole 2a,
On the other hand, from the check valve 13, the body fluid sample is passed through the small diameter portion 10b.
Is sucked into the storage case 2 through. Bodily fluid is sucked from the collection hole 14a of the check valve cap 14, but even if the collection hole 14a is clogged with a solid substance,
The suction is not disturbed because the suction is smoothly performed from the cut portion 14b.

Moreover, since the piston 11 is arranged on the side of the power source case 1 so as to be displaced by the inclination of the thread hole 11a, the volume in the storage case 2 becomes large and the suction amount increases accordingly. In other words, by making the overall shape of the medical capsule C smaller while ensuring the amount of suction and collection of the sample of the medical capsule C, it is possible for the patient to drink more easily.

The above embodiment shows a typical embodiment of the present invention. Further, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the cap member is connected at the bottom of the cut portion of the check valve cap. The solid material does not rush into the check valve because it is in the. Furthermore, if the outer surface of the check valve cap is formed in a convex shape and the check valve cap is made of a porous body, the sampling holes are widely distributed and are oriented in multiple directions. Even if the sampling hole is blocked by an object, the suction hole is secured.

In addition, although the above-mentioned embodiment exemplifies the case of collecting a sample in the living body, the present invention can be applied to the case of releasing a drug or the like to a specific position in the living body. In this case,
It is possible to accurately position the release of drugs,
The releasing action into the living body can be smoothly performed because the suction is smooth.

[0033]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. 1. According to the invention of claim 1, when the medical capsule is used in the body, the suction hole is not blocked by the solid matter in the digestive tract, and the body fluid can be smoothly sucked.

2. According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, since the cap member is in the connected state at the bottom of the cut portion of the check valve cap, the solid matter is a check valve. Do not rush into and the check valve will not become blocked.

3. According to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1 or claim 2, since the sampling holes are widely distributed and are oriented in multiple directions, for example, they are partially solid. Even if the sampling hole is blocked by an object, the suction hole is secured.

4. According to the invention as set forth in claim 4, it is possible to make it easier for the patient to drink by making the overall shape of the medical capsule smaller while ensuring the amount of suction and collection of the sample of the medical capsule.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the check valve cap of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same portion.

FIG. 4 is a plan view and a cross-sectional view of a check valve cap of another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the operating device S according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a principle diagram of the operating device S.

FIG. 8 is an overall sectional view showing a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 C ... Medical capsule S ... Actuator 1 ... Power supply case 2 ... Storage case 2a ... Gas vent hole 3 ... Partition wall 4 ... Reed switch 5 ... Lithium battery 6 ... ..Battery holder 7 ... first terminal 7a ... lead wire 8 ... second terminal 8a ... lead wire 9 ... shielding wall 9a, 9a ... nichrome wire hole 10 ... collection Cylindrical body 10a ... Large diameter part 10b ... Small diameter part 10c ... Thread hole 10d ... Through hole 11 ... Piston 11a ... Thread hole 11b ... Inside hole opening 11c ... Outside hole mouth 12 ... Fixing thread 13 ... Check valve 14 ... Check valve cap 14a ... Sample collecting hole 14b ... Cut portion 15 ... Spring 16 ... Nichrome wire 16a ... Heating element (filament) 20 ... Caster 21 ... Bed 22. ..Iron core 23, 23 '... Coil 24 ... DC power supply 25 ... Magnetic pole 26 ... Stopper handle 27 ... Screw jack 28 ... Cover 29 ... Magnetic field line 30 ... Main body Block 31 ... Outer cylinder 32 ... Lid 33 ... First sampling port 34 ... Piston 35 ... Coil spring 36 ... Second sampling port 37 ... Filament 38 ... Fixed thread 39 ... Battery 40 ... Switching means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── --- Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Ryuichiro Tanaka 1-1-19 Higashishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Akio Funakubo 4-1-1 Hashimotodai, Sagamihara-shi, Kanagawa No. Vocational Skills Development College Campus 3-21 (72) Inventor Chishiro Uchida 4293-4, Ojiwara-shi, Ageo City, Saitama Prefecture (72) Inventor Heiyasu Funakubo 2-17-4 Nishiogitakita, Suginami-ku, Tokyo

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A power supply case in which a battery and a reed switch are provided, a storage case detachably attached to one end of the power supply case, a large diameter portion is formed at one end, and the storage case is provided through the large diameter portion. The collection cylinder attached to the, the check valve provided at one end of the collection cylinder, the cross section is U-shaped, and includes the cylindrical portion and the dish-shaped portion. The outer wall of the tubular portion is slidable on the inner wall surface of the storage case. The inner wall of the cylindrical part consists of a piston that is in contact with the outer wall of the sampling cylinder, and a spring that is interposed between the large-diameter part and the piston in a compressed state, and the piston slides in the storage case. Is a medical capsule for collecting a sample through a check valve by means of a check valve cap, in which a collecting hole is formed in the periphery of the collecting portion of the check valve, and a notch communicating with the collecting hole is formed. A medical capsule characterized by being attached. 2. The medical capsule according to claim 1, wherein the cut depth of the cut portion is smaller than the thickness of the check valve cap. 3. The medical capsule according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the check valve cap is formed in a convex shape, and the check valve cap is formed of a porous body. 4. A power supply case in which a battery and a reed switch are provided, a storage case detachably attached to one end of the power supply case, a large diameter portion is formed at one end, and the storage case is provided through the large diameter portion. The collection cylinder attached to the, the check valve provided at one end of the collection cylinder, the cross section is U-shaped, and includes the cylindrical portion and the dish-shaped portion. The outer wall of the tubular portion is slidable on the inner wall surface of the storage case. The inner wall of the tubular portion is composed of a piston in contact with the outer wall of the sampling tubular body, and a spring interposed in a compressed state between the large-diameter portion and the piston, and the tubular portion of the piston and the sampling tubular body. Thread holes are formed in each of the two, and both thread holes are in communication with each other.In addition, a fixed thread that locks the piston to the tip of the sampling cylinder is inserted into these thread holes in a tensioned state, and the piston is fixed by this fixed thread. Lock the fixing thread on the tip of the sampling cylinder and turn on the reed switch. A medical capsule that cuts and slides the piston in the storage case to collect a sample, and the outer hole position is dish-shaped with respect to the inner hole position of the thread hole formed on the piston side. A medical capsule characterized in that it is provided on the part side.