TWI422349B - Capsule endoscopy - Google Patents

Description

Capsule endoscope

The present invention relates to an endoscope, and more particularly to a capsule endoscope.

The traditional intestine and stomach endoscopes are used to pass a fiber-optic hose from the mouth or anus into the digestive system of the human body, and thereby know the lesion. However, the traditional intestinal and gastric endoscopy methods have their technical limits. The fiber optic hose can only reach the duodenum from the mouth or the anus to the end of the small intestine. Therefore, the part of the small intestine that is 6m long becomes the dead end of the digestive system examination. Moreover, the examination methods of the existing intestinal and gastric endoscopes may cause the patient to feel very uncomfortable, and even cause the patient to be unwilling to do the examination and delay the treatment.

So in 1994, Israel's Gavriel Iddan and Eitan Scapa jointly developed a capsule endoscope that subverts traditional bowel and gastroscopic endoscopy. Capsule endoscopes have developed a variety of improved structures.

Refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2, as shown in the Taiwan Patent No. M243175 "Capsule Endoscope" patent case. The existing capsule endoscope 1 comprises a capsule shell 11, a rotating mechanism 13 rotatably disposed in the capsule shell 11, a partition plate 12 disposed on the rotating mechanism 13, an image capturing module 14, and a The image transfer module 15 and a precision battery module 16 are disposed in the capsule shell 11.

The capsule shell 11 has two curved ends 111 and an annular transparent window 112 between the curved ends 111. The image capturing module 14 is provided An image of the outside of the capsule shell 11 is taken on the partitioning plate 12, and the rotating mechanism 13 can drive the partitioning plate 12 to rotate to further enable the image capturing module disposed on the partitioning plate 12. 14 can be taken with the rotation to obtain 180 degrees of image data.

However, the existing capsule endoscope 1 can capture the captured image in a rotating manner by the design of the spacer 12, but cannot capture the two sides of the curved end 111 of the capsule shell 11, and thus Both sides of the curved end 111 become dead spots on the shooting.

Therefore, how to improve the image generated by the existing capsule endoscope 1 in the design draws a dead angle, which has been an important issue for the continuous improvement of the medical technology field.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a capsule endoscope that can flex and bend to reduce the angle of shooting and to perform electrotherapy while capturing an image.

Therefore, the capsule endoscope of the present invention is applicable to a wireless signal sensing module, and the capsule endoscope includes a casing, a substrate disposed in the casing, two control units, and two disposed on the substrate. An image capturing unit, a data processing unit disposed in the housing, and a power unit disposed in the housing.

The housing includes a deformable portion that is telescopically deformable, and two window portions that are respectively connected to opposite ends of the deformed portion.

The control unit is disposed on the inner wall surface of the deformation portion and respectively located on opposite sides of the substrate, so that the two sides of the deformation portion are mutually retracted to bend the casing. song. Each of the control units includes a fixing base disposed on the deformation portion, a micro motor disposed on the deformation portion and spaced apart from the fixing portion, and a micromotor disposed on the fixing base and the micromotor and capable of receiving the micromotor The motor drives the rotating screw.

The image capturing units are respectively disposed at two ends of the substrate, and each of the image capturing units includes an image capturing module disposed on the substrate and passing through the corresponding window portion for capturing image data, and a setting A light-emitting element that provides illumination on the substrate.

The data processing unit includes a radio frequency identification module disposed on the substrate for transmitting image data captured by the image capturing module to the wireless signal sensing module.

The power unit includes a battery disposed on the substrate and configured to supply the unit power, and an electrode disposed on the outer surface of the housing and electrically connected to the battery. The radio frequency identification module can receive the wireless signal sensing module. The control signals emitted by the group drive the electrodes to discharge.

The effect of the invention is that the housing and the substrate can be flexed and bent by the design of the deformation portion, so that the image capturing module can capture images of different angles through the deflection of the substrate to reduce the image. The dead angle is taken to increase the integrity of the acquired data. In addition, by the design of the electrode 352, the electrotherapy can be performed while capturing the image.

The above and other technical contents, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 3, a preferred embodiment of the capsule endoscope 3 of the present invention is applicable to a wireless signal sensing module 4.

Referring to FIG. 4 and in conjunction with FIG. 5, the capsule endoscope 3 includes a housing 31, a substrate 32, two control units 36, two image capturing units 33, a data processing unit 34, and a power unit 35.

The housing 31 includes a deformable portion 311 that is telescopically deformable, and two window portions 312 that are respectively coupled to opposite ends of the deformed portion 311. The substrate 32 is flexible and disposed in the casing 31.

Referring to FIG. 5, the control unit 36 is disposed on the inner wall surface of the deformation portion 311 and is located on opposite sides of the substrate 32, and is configured to drive the two sides of the deformation portion 311 to expand and contract. Each of the control units 36 includes a fixing base 361 disposed on the deformation portion 311, a micromotor 362 disposed on the deformation portion 311 and spaced apart from the fixing base 361, and a threaded through the fixing base 361. A rotating screw 363 is driven by the micromotor 362 on the micromotor 362.

Referring to FIG. 4, the image capturing units 33 are respectively disposed at opposite ends of the substrate 32. Each of the image capturing units 33 includes a focusing frame 331 that is retractably disposed on the substrate 32, and an image capturing module that is disposed on the focusing frame 331 and transmits the corresponding image portion 312 to capture image data. 332, and a light-emitting element 333 disposed on the substrate 32 to provide illumination.

In the preferred embodiment, the image capturing module 332 is described by a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). Of course, charge coupling can also be used. Replacement of a component (Charge Coupled Device, CCD) or other light sensing component with the same function. In addition, in the embodiment, the light-emitting element 333 is described by a high-brightness white light diode, and other types of light-emitting diodes may be selected depending on actual use requirements.

The data processing unit 34 includes a data compression module 341 disposed on the substrate 32 for compressing image data, and a radio frequency identification module 342 disposed on the substrate 32. The radio frequency identification module 342 is configured to wirelessly transmit the compressed image data to the wireless signal sensing module 4. The wireless radio frequency identification module 342 can also receive the wireless signal sensing module. 4 control signals transmitted to achieve the purpose of two-way transmission.

In this embodiment, the radio frequency identification module 342 is implemented by radio frequency identification (RFID), and the wireless signal sensing module 4 is a wireless sensor (Wireless Sensor Network). , WSN) for explanation. In addition, embodiments for compressing data are well known to those skilled in the art, and the manner of data processing is not a technical feature of the present invention, so no further details are provided.

The power unit 35 includes a battery 351 disposed on the substrate 32 for providing power to the units 33, 34, and an electrode 352 disposed on an outer surface of the housing 31 and capable of discharging to provide therapy. In this embodiment, the battery 351 is implemented by using a silver oxide battery, and the silver oxide battery has the advantages of environmental protection, safety, and the like. Of course, a high-capacity flat-plate capacitor or other power storage element can also be used for conversion. Limited.

In particular, the electrode 352 is normally turned off when used. The wireless signal sensing module 4 can send a start control signal when the wireless frequency identification module 342 receives the start control signal, when it is determined by the instant digestive system image that the electrophoresis needs to be performed on the digestive system. The battery 351 is activated and the electrode 352 is driven to discharge in the digestive system for immediate therapeutic purposes. After the electrotherapy is completed, the wireless signal sensing module 4 sends a shutdown control signal to stop the electrode 352 from discharging.

Referring to FIG. 6, in use, after the user swallows the capsule endoscope 3 of the present invention from the mouth, the capsule endoscope 3 moves as the digestive system creeps, and the image capturing module 332 will The image is compressed by the data compression module 341, and then the compressed data is transmitted to the outside of the user by radio frequency. The wireless signal sensing module 4 located outside the user receives the image data, and first stores and collects the image data, so as to facilitate subsequent analysis of the image data, so that the physician can diagnose the health condition in the digestive system.

Referring to FIG. 5, when the capsule endoscope 3 of the present invention moves in the digestive system, the control unit 36 drives the housing 31 and interlocks the substrate 32 to be flexed left and right so that the image capturing module 332 can Capture more images of the viewing angle. When the screw 363a on the side of the substrate 32 rotates and the fixing seat 361a approaches the micro motor 362a, the screw 363b on the other side also rotates at the same time and the fixing seat 361b is away from the micro motor 362b, so the deformation portion 311 It will bend and cause the housing 31 to assume a curved shape toward the first direction 51 as shown in FIG. Of course, the control unit 36 can also enable the deformation portion 311. The second direction 52 as shown in Fig. 8 is flexed and bent. The image capture module 332 can capture images of more angles by the repeated action of the control unit 36 to reduce the dead angle of the data capture.

With the above-described design, the capsule endoscope 3 of the present invention has the following advantages when actually used:

(1) Reducing the shooting dead angle: by the deformation portion 311 and the design of the control unit 36, the substrate 32 can be flexed and flexed, thereby enabling the image capturing module 332 to capture the existing capsule endoscope. The dead angle was photographed for the diagnosis of the doctor.

(2) The sway increases the advancement efficiency: since the deformation portion 311 can bend and slant the casing 31, thereby improving the traveling efficiency of the capsule endoscope 3 in the digestive system of the present invention, and improving the existing capsule endoscope only It can advance by the peristalsis of the digestive system, resulting in the disadvantage of slower movement.

(3) Electrotherapeutic effect: The electrode 352 can emit a therapeutic current by electrophoresis of the electrode 352 disposed outside the casing 31, so that the treatment can be performed while the system image is removed.

In summary, the capsule endoscope 3 of the present invention allows the housing 31 and the substrate 32 to be flexed and bent by the design of the deformation portion 311, thereby allowing the image capturing module 332 to pass through the substrate 32. Scratching and capturing images at different angles to reduce the dead angle on the image capture, thereby increasing the integrity of the acquired data, and increasing the capsule endoscope 3 of the present invention by bending and flexing The traveling efficiency in the system is further enhanced by the design of the electrode 352, and the electrotherapy can be performed while capturing the image, so that the object of the present invention can be achieved.

The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of the invention is not limited thereto, that is, the simple equivalent changes and modifications made by the scope of the invention and the description of the invention are All remain within the scope of the invention patent.

3‧‧‧Capsule endoscope

31‧‧‧Shell

311‧‧‧Deformation Department

312‧‧Section

32‧‧‧Substrate

33‧‧‧Image capture unit

331‧‧ ‧ Focusing seat

332‧‧‧Image capture module

333‧‧‧Lighting elements

34‧‧‧Data Processing Unit

341‧‧‧ Data Compression Module

342‧‧‧ Radio Frequency Identification Module group

35‧‧‧Power unit

351‧‧‧Battery

352‧‧‧electrode

36‧‧‧Control unit

361‧‧‧ fixed seat

362‧‧‧Micromotor

363‧‧‧ screw

4‧‧‧Wireless Signal Sensing Module

51‧‧‧First direction

52‧‧‧second direction

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional capsule endoscope; FIG. 2 is a schematic view for assistance in explaining FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a side view showing a preferred embodiment of the capsule endoscope of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a top cross-sectional view showing a control unit arrangement of the capsule endoscope of the present invention; FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the data processing of the preferred embodiment of the capsule endoscope of the present invention; 7 is a plan view showing a state in which the capsule endoscope of the present invention is curved in a first direction; and FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a state in which the capsule endoscope of the present invention is curved in a second direction.

3. . . Capsule endoscope

31. . . case

311. . . Deformation department

312. . . Window department

32. . . Substrate

33. . . Image capture unit

331. . . Focusing seat

332. . . Image capture module

333. . . Light-emitting element

34. . . Data processing unit

341. . . Data compression module

342. . . Radio frequency identification module

35. . . Power unit

351. . . battery

352. . . electrode

4. . . Wireless signal sensing module

Claims (6)

A capsule endoscope for a wireless signal sensing module, the capsule endoscope comprising: a casing comprising a deformation portion that is telescopically deformable, and two window portions respectively connected to the two ends of the deformation portion; a substrate, which is flexible and disposed in the housing; two control units are disposed on the inner wall surface of the deformation portion and respectively located on opposite sides of the substrate, and the control unit is configured to mutually expand and contract the deformation portion to make the shell The body is bent, each control unit includes a fixing seat disposed on the deformation portion, a micro motor disposed on the deformation portion and spaced apart from the fixing seat, and one of the fixing base and the micro motor a screw driven by the micro-motor; two image capturing units are respectively disposed at two ends of the substrate, and each of the image capturing units includes an image disposed on the substrate and transmitted through the corresponding window portion to capture image data. a capture module, and a light-emitting component disposed on the substrate to provide illumination; a data processing unit includes a radio frequency identification module disposed on the substrate for using the image The image data captured by the capture module is transmitted to the wireless signal sensing module; and a power unit includes a battery disposed on the substrate for providing power of the unit, and a battery disposed on the outer surface of the housing The RFID module is electrically connected to the electrode of the battery, and the RFID module can receive the control signal emitted by the wireless signal sensing module to drive the electrode to discharge. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the capsule endoscope The data processing unit further includes a data compression module for compressing the image data. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein each of the image capturing units further includes a focusing seat that is telescopically disposed on the substrate, and the image capturing modules are respectively disposed on the phase Corresponding focus holder. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the image capturing module of the image capturing unit is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the battery of the power unit is a silver oxide battery. The capsule endoscope according to claim 1, wherein the battery of the power unit is a high capacity flat panel capacitor.