U.S. patent application number 13/170887 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-20 for power supply apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to Olympus Corporation. Invention is credited to Takemitsu HONDA, Tetsuo MINAI, Kazutaka NAKATSUCHI, Hatsuo SHIMIZU.
Application Number | 20110254380 13/170887 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35056518 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110254380 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHIMIZU; Hatsuo ; et
al. |
October 20, 2011 |
POWER SUPPLY APPARATUS
Abstract
A power supply apparatus supplies power to a body-insertable
apparatus from outside a subject. The body-insertable apparatus is
introduced into the subject and obtains intra-subject information.
The power supply apparatus includes a first electric cable which is
wound around a circumferential surface of a garment and forms a
coil, the garment covering the subject, the coil having a
non-directionality at a time of power supply; and a power supply
unit which supplies power to the body-insertable apparatus in a
contactless manner through the coil.
Inventors: |
SHIMIZU; Hatsuo; (Tokyo,
JP) ; HONDA; Takemitsu; (Tokyo, JP) ; MINAI;
Tetsuo; (Tokyo, JP) ; NAKATSUCHI; Kazutaka;
(Tokyo, JP) |
Assignee: |
Olympus Corporation
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
35056518 |
Appl. No.: |
13/170887 |
Filed: |
June 28, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11536150 |
Sep 28, 2006 |
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13170887 |
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PCT/JP2005/005421 |
Mar 24, 2005 |
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11536150 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
307/104 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 1/00029 20130101;
H02J 50/40 20160201; A61B 1/00016 20130101; A61B 2560/0219
20130101; H02J 5/005 20130101; H02J 50/12 20160201; A61B 2560/0214
20130101; A61B 1/041 20130101; A61B 5/073 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
307/104 |
International
Class: |
H02J 17/00 20060101
H02J017/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 29, 2004 |
JP |
2004-095880 |
Claims
1. A power-supply coil for a power supply apparatus that supplies
power to a body-insertable apparatus from outside a subject, the
body-insertable apparatus being introduced into the subject and
obtaining intra-subject information, wherein the power-supply coil
has adhesiveness.
2. The power-supply coil for a power supply apparatus according to
claim 1, comprising: a sheet member.
3. A method of supplying power to a body-insertable apparatus from
outside a subject, the body-insertable apparatus being introduced
into the subject and obtaining intra-subject information, the
method comprising: attaching a power-supply coil to at least one of
the subject and a garment the subject wears; and supplying power to
the power-supply coil.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of prior application Ser.
No. 11/536,150, filed Sep. 28, 2006 by Hatsuo SHIMIZU et al.
entitled POWER SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR A BODY INSERTABLE APPARATUS,
which is a continuation of PCT international application Ser. No.
PCT/JP2005/005421 filed Mar. 24, 2005 which designates the United
States, incorporated herein by reference, and which claims the
benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No.
2004-095880 filed Mar. 29, 2004, incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a power supply apparatus
which supplies power to a body-insertable apparatus in a subject
from outside the subject. The body-insertable apparatus is
exemplified by a swallowable capsule endoscope.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In recent years, a capsule endoscope equipped with an
imaging function and a radio function has appeared in the endoscope
field. The capsule endoscope is moved in internal organs such as a
stomach and a small intestine (or in body cavities) with
peristaltic motion thereof to sequentially perform imaging in the
body cavities using the imaging function in an observation period
during which the capsule endoscope is swallowed into a subject as a
tested body for observation (examination) and is naturally
discharged from the living body as the subject.
[0006] Image data imaged in the body cavities by the capsule
endoscope in the observation period of movement in these internal
organs is sequentially transmitted to an external device provided
outside the subject by the radio function such as radio
communication and is then stored in a memory provided in the
external device. The subject carries the external device having the
radio function and the memory function. The subject can be freely
moved in the observation period during which the capsule endoscope
is swallowed and discharged. After observation, a doctor or a nurse
can display the images in the body cavities on a display device
such as a display based on the image data stored in the memory of
the external device to perform diagnosis.
[0007] JP-A No. 2001-231186 (KOKAI) (page 3, FIG. 1) shows one
conventional system for supplying power to the capsule endoscope of
the above-described type. When a radio capsule (corresponding to
the capsule endoscope) is placed inside the living subject, the
system transmits the power from outside the subject to an inside of
the capsule endoscope. The system includes an external device
having a power-transmitting antenna and the capsule endoscope
having a power-receiving antenna arranged therein. The external
device supplies power to the capsule endoscope through the
power-transmitting antenna and the power-receiving antenna, whereby
the capsule endoscope can perform an observation operation in the
subject for an extended period of time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A power supply apparatus according to one aspect of the
present invention supplies power to a body-insertable apparatus
from outside a subject, and the body-insertable apparatus is
introduced into the subject and obtains intra-subject information.
The power supply apparatus according to one aspect of the present
invention includes a first electric cable which is wound around a
circumferential surface of a garment and forms a coil, the garment
covering the subject, the coil having a non-directionality at a
time of power supply; and a power supply unit which supplies power
to the body-insertable apparatus in a contactless manner through
the coil.
[0009] The above and other objects, features, advantages and
technical and industrial significance of this invention will be
better understood by reading the following detailed description of
presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered
in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of an intra-subject
information obtaining system according to the present
invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an inner configuration of
a capsule endoscope shown in FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a circuit structure of a
power receiving circuit shown in FIG. 2;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an inner structure of a
communication device shown in FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a frontal view showing a first embodiment of a
vest shown in FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 6 shows a magnetic field generated by coils shown in
FIG. 5;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a frontal view showing a second embodiment of the
vest shown in FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 8 shows a magnetic field generated by coils shown in
FIG. 7;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a frontal view showing a third embodiment of the
vest shown in FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a frontal view showing a fourth embodiment of the
vest shown in FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 11 shows a magnetic field generated by coils shown in
FIG. 10; and
[0021] FIG. 12 shows another exemplary structure of a sheet member
of FIG. 10 on which the coil is formed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] Exemplary embodiments of a power supply apparatus according
to the present invention will be described in detail with reference
to FIGS. 1 to 12. The power supply apparatus of the present
invention supplies power to an intra-subject information acquiring
device. It should be noted that the present invention is not
limited to the embodiments as described below, and various
modifications and alternations can be made to the embodiments
without departing from a scope of the present invention.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the intra-subject information obtaining
system includes a swallowable capsule endoscope 2 and a
communication device 3, a display device 4, and a portable
recording medium 5. A subject 1 swallows the capsule endoscope 2.
The capsule endoscope 2 is introduced into a body cavity of the
subject 1 and functions as the intra-subject information acquiring
device. The communication device 3 is arranged outside the subject
1 and serves as an external device to the subject. The
communication device 3 transmits various types of information
to/from the capsule endoscope 2 by radio communication. The
communication device 3 receives data sent from the capsule
endoscope 2, and the display device 4 presents an image based on
the received data. The portable recording medium 5 serves to
deliver data between the communication device 3 and the display
device 4.
[0024] In FIGS. 2 to 12, the same elements as those shown in FIG. 1
will be denoted by the same reference characters for convenience of
description. As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2, the capsule
endoscope 2 includes a light emitting diode (LED) 20, an LED
driving circuit 21, a charge coupled device (CCD) 22, a CCD driving
circuit 23, an RF transmitting unit 24, and a transmitting antenna
unit 25. The LED 20 serves as an illuminating unit that illuminates
an examined region inside the body cavity of the subject 1. The LED
driving circuit 21 controls a driven state of the LED 20. Light
emitted from the LED 20 is reflected by the examined region inside
the body cavity and forms an image. The CCD 22 serves as a sensor
unit (imaging unit) that picks up the thus formed image
(intra-subject information). The CCD driving circuit 23 controls a
driven state of the CCD 22. The picked-up image, as an image
signal, is modulated by the RF transmitting unit 24 that serves as
a radio transmission unit and outputted as an RF signal. The RF
signal is then sent by the transmitting antenna unit 25 by radio
communication.
[0025] The capsule endoscope 2 further includes a system control
circuit 26. The system control circuit 26 controls the operations
of the LED driving circuit 21, the CCD driving circuit 23, and the
RF transmitting unit 24, so that CCD 22 can obtain image data of
the examined region illuminated by the LED 20 while the capsule
endoscope 2 is inside the subject 1. The obtained image data is
converted into the RF signal by the RF transmitting unit 24. The RF
signal is then transmitted to the outside of the subject 1 through
the transmitting antenna unit 25.
[0026] Further, the capsule endoscope 2 includes a receiving
antenna unit 27, a control signal detecting circuit 28, and a power
receiving circuit 29. The receiving antenna unit 27 serves as a
radio receiving unit and is able to receive a radio signal
transmitted from the communication device 3. The control signal
detecting circuit 28 detects a signal which has a predetermined
input level (e.g., reception strength level) as a control signal
from among the signals received by the receiving antenna unit 27.
The power receiving circuit 29 supplies power to the system control
circuit 26 and the control signal detecting circuit 28.
[0027] The control signal detecting circuit 28 detects a signal
having a higher level than the predetermined input level (as an
activation signal) from among the received signals. The control
signal detecting circuit 28 supplies the activation signal to the
system control circuit 26. Further, the control signal detecting
circuit 28 detects a content of the control signal and outputs the
control signal to the LED driving circuit 21, the CCD driving
circuit 23, and the system control circuit 26, as necessary. The
system control circuit 26 has a function of distributing driving
power supplied from the power receiving circuit 29 to other
elements, i.e., to function executing units.
[0028] The system control circuit 26 includes a switch element,
latch circuit, or the like connected between the power receiving
circuit 29 and each of the other elements. The switch element and
the latch circuit have a switching function. When the magnetic
field is externally applied, the latch circuit turns the switch
element on, and maintains the on-state of the switch element to let
the driving power from the power receiving circuit 29 be supplied
to each component in the capsule endoscope 2. In the first
embodiment, the "function executing unit" is a generic term
referring to elements that execute a predetermined function in the
capsule endoscope 2, such as the imaging unit having an imaging
function, the illuminating unit having an illumination function,
and the radio transmission unit having (a part of) radio
communication function. The imaging unit and the illuminating unit
are also referred to as a first function executing unit; and the
radio transmission unit is referred to as a second function
executing unit. Specifically, elements other than the system
control circuit 26, the receiving antenna unit 27, and the control
signal detecting circuit 28 are the function executing units that
execute a predetermined function. In the following, the function
executing units will be collectively referred to as intra-capsule
function executing circuit if necessary.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the power receiving circuit 29 includes
a power receiving resonance circuit 29c, a rectifying diode 29d, a
capacitor 29e, and a DC/DC converter 29f. The power receiving
resonance circuit 29c has a power receiving coil 29a and a
capacitor 29b that are formed to have a resonance frequency matched
with the frequency of a transmitted power signal. The rectifying
diode 29d converts an alternate current signal into a direct
current signal. The capacitor 29e accumulates power rectified by
the rectifying diode 29d. The DC/DC converter 29f serves as a
booster that boosts the power supplied from the capacitor 29e. In
brief, in the power receiving circuit 29, the power signal is
received at the power receiving resonance circuit 29c, rectified by
the rectifying diode 29d, and accumulated in the capacitor 29e
sequentially. The accumulated power is boosted by the DC/DC
converter 29f so that the accumulated power can be employed as the
driving power for each of the function executing units. After the
boosting, the power is supplied to the system control circuit 26
and the control signal detecting circuit 28 in the capsule
endoscope 2. Thereafter, the power is distributed to each of the
function executing units that operate thereby.
[0030] The communication device 3 has functions of both a
transmitter (ratio transmission unit) and a receiver (radio
receiving unit). Specifically, the communication device 3 transmits
the activation signal to the capsule endoscope 2 on one hand, and
receives the image data of inside the body cavity sent from the
capsule endoscope 2 by radio communication on the other hand. The
inner structure of the communication device 3 will be described
with reference to FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the communication
device 3 includes a garment 31 (e.g., vest) for
transmission/reception and an external device 32. The vest 31
includes plural receiving antennae A1 to An and plural transmitting
antennae B1 to Bm. During operation, the subject 1 wears the vest
31. The external device 32 performs various processing such as
signal processing on radio signals which are received or to be
sent. In the above, characters "n" and "m" indicate the number of
the antennae, which can be set to any number as necessary.
[0031] The external device 32 performs signal processing on the
radio signal transmitted from the capsule endoscope 2, and includes
an RF receiving unit 33, an image processing unit 34, and a storage
unit 35. The RF receiving unit 33 performs predetermined signal
processing, such as demodulation on the radio signal received by
the receiving antennae A1 to An, and extracts the image data
obtained by the capsule endoscope 2 from the radio signal. The
image processing unit 34 performs necessary image processing on the
extracted image data. The processed image data is stored in the
storage unit 35. In the first embodiment, the image data is stored
in the portable recording medium 5 through the storage unit 35.
[0032] Further, the external device 32 includes a control signal
input unit 36 and an RF transmission unit circuit 37. The control
signal input unit 36 generates the control signal (activation
signal) to control the driven state of the capsule endoscope 2. The
RF transmission unit circuit 37 converts the generated control
signal into a radio frequency for output. The signal after the
conversion by the RF transmission unit circuit 37 is supplied to
the transmitting antennae B1 to Bm to be transmitted to the capsule
endoscope 2. Still further, the external device 32 includes a power
supply unit 38 which is provided with a predetermined condenser, an
AC power supply adapter, or the like. Each of the elements in the
external device 32 consumes the power supplied from the power
supply unit 38 as driving energy. The power supply unit 38 also
supplies power to a driver circuit of a coil-like electric cable
(hereinbelow simply referred to as "coil") arranged in the garment
31 such as a vest, which will be described later.
[0033] The display device 4 serves to show an intra-body-cavity
image that is obtained by the capsule endoscope 2. The display
device 4 is configured as a workstation that displays an image
based on data read from the portable recording medium 5.
Specifically, the display device 4 may include a CRT display or a
liquid crystal display to directly present the image thereon, or
may be configured as a printer or the like to output the image onto
other medium.
[0034] The portable recording medium 5 can be connected to both the
external device 32 and the display device 4. When the portable
recording medium 5 is inserted into and connected to one of the
external device 32 and the display device 4, the information stored
therein can be read out or the information can be recorded into the
portable recording medium 5. In the first embodiment, while the
capsule endoscope 2 is moving inside the body cavity of the subject
1, the portable recording medium 5 is placed into the external
device 32 and records data sent from the capsule endoscope 2. After
the capsule endoscope 2 is discharged from the subject 1, in other
words, when the imaging of inside the subject 1 is finished, the
portable recording medium 5 is taken out from the external device
32 and inserted into the display device 4. Then the display device
4 reads out the data recorded in the portable recording medium 5.
The portable recording medium 5 is configured of, for example, a
Compact Flash (registered trademark) memory. When the portable
recording medium 5 is employed, data transfer between the external
device 32 and the display device 4 can be indirectly performed.
Thus, dissimilar to systems which directly connect the external
device 32 and the display 4 by a cable or the like, the system of
the embodiment allows the subject 1 to move freely while the
capsule endoscope 2 picks up the images of inside the body
cavity.
[0035] The garment 31 of the first embodiment will be described
with reference to the frontal view of FIG. 5. In FIG. 5 two strands
of electric cable form two coils, i.e., coils 61 and 62, and are
arranged in the garment 31. Each of the coils 61 and 62 runs
obliquely along the inner circumferential surface of the pullover
garment (vest, for example) 31 and is wound. The coils 61 and 62
are symmetrically arranged. When the subject wears the vest 31, the
coil 61 runs from the left shoulder to the right waist and forms
spiral loops of a predetermined pitch while the coil 62 runs from
the right shoulder to the left waist and forms spiral loops of a
predetermined pitch. The coils 61 and 62 intersect with each other
on a center line of the subject body.
[0036] The coils 61 and 62 are connected to driver circuits 63 to
66, that are further connected to the power supply unit 38 of the
above-described external device 32. The power supply unit 38
supplies power through the driver circuit 63 to 66 to the coils 61
and 62, which generates an alternate current magnetic field of a
predetermined strength on each of the coils 61 and 62. The vest 31
also includes the plural receiving antennae A1 to An and the plural
transmitting antennae B1 to Bm not shown.
[0037] The alternate current magnetic field generated by the coils
61 and 62 of FIG. 5 are shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, the central
axes of the coils 61 and 62 run orthogonally with each other.
Magnetic fluxes 61a and 62a of the coils 61 and 62 radiate in
plural directions and intersect with each other. Thus
non-directional alternate current magnetic field can be
generated.
[0038] When the power supply unit 38 supplies power to the coils 61
and 62, electric current flows through the coils 61 and 62. Then,
the plural magnetic fluxes 61a and 62a radiates in different
direction so as to run through the coils 61 and 62, whereby the
non-directional magnetic field is generated. When the capsule
endoscope 2 introduced into the subject 1 reaches the magnetic
field, induced electromotive force is generated in the power
receiving coil 29a (see FIG. 3) due to the electromagnetic
induction. Thus, the power is supplied to the inside of the capsule
endoscope 2. In the figures following FIG. 6, only a magnetic field
which is most relevant to the power supply is shown as a
representative example.
[0039] Thus, in the first embodiment, two coils are arranged in the
garment for power supply, run obliquely on the circumferential
surface of the garment, and symmetrically arranged in a wound form,
whereby the non-directional alternate current magnetic field is
generated. Therefore, no matter how the orientation and the
position of the capsule endoscope change in the subject within the
alternate current magnetic field, the capsule endoscope still lies
across the magnetic fluxes generated by the coil, whereby the
generated induced electromotive force causes the power supply to
the capsule endoscope. Thus, the capsule endoscope can efficiently
receive power supply.
[0040] Additionally, since the generated alternate current magnetic
field in the first embodiment is non-directional, only one coil is
sufficient for the operation dissimilar to the conventional capsule
endoscope which requires two or more coils with different
directionalities for power reception. Thus, the first embodiment
realizes stable power supply as well as space saving of the capsule
endoscope.
[0041] The coils for power supply may additionally serve as the
transmitting antenna shown in FIG. 4. In this case, the control
signal input unit 36 of the external device 32 superposes various
control signals on the power supply signal which is an alternate
current signal supplied from the power supply unit 38. The control
signal input unit 36 supplies the superposed signal to the capsule
endoscope 2. Such configuration has the same advantages as those
described above. In addition, such configuration allows elimination
of the transmitting antennae in the external device, whereby the
number of incorporated elements and manufacturing cost can be
reduced. In the first embodiment, two electric cables are employed
to form cross-arranged two coils. Two coils may be formed by one
electric cable, however, when a manner of winding is changed.
[0042] A second embodiment of the vest will be described with
reference to FIG. 7. A vest 31a of FIG. 7 is different from the
vest 31 of the first embodiment of FIG. 5 in that the vest 31a of
FIG. 7 includes a coil 70 that runs along the inner circumferential
surface of the vest in a horizontal direction. One electric cable
is wound around a chest part of the vest and forms a spiral loop of
a predetermined pitch as the coil 70. The coil 70 intersects with
each of the coils 61 and 62 on a front side and a back side of the
vest 31a.
[0043] The coil 70 is connected to driver circuits 71 and 72. The
driver circuits 71 and 72 are further connected to the power supply
unit 38 of the above-described external device 32. The power supply
unit 38 supplies power. As a result of the power supply, an
alternate current magnetic field of a predetermined strength is
generated in the coil 70 similarly to the magnetic field generation
in each of the coils 61 and 62.
[0044] Each of the coils 61, 62, and 70 of FIG. 7 generates an
alternate current magnetic field as shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, the
magnetic fluxes 61a and 62a of the coils 61 and 62 are similar to
those in the first embodiment. A magnetic flux 70a of the coil 70
radiates from a center, i.e., the horizontal central axis of the
subject body and intersects with the magnetic fluxes 61a and 62a of
the coils 61 and 62 with each other, whereby a non-directional
alternate current magnetic field can be generated.
[0045] Similarly to the first embodiment, when the power supply
unit 38 supplies power to the coils 61, 62, and 70, electric
current flows through the coils 61, 62 and 70. Then, plural
magnetic fluxes 61a, 62a, and 70a with different orientations are
generated in directions intersecting with the coils 61, 62, and 70
to form a complicated magnetic flux arrangement, whereby a
non-directional magnetic field is generated. When the capsule
endoscope 2 in the subject 1 reaches the magnetic field, induced
electromotive force is generated in the power receiving coil 29a
(see FIG. 3) due to the electromagnetic induction. Thus the power
is supplied to the inside of the capsule endoscope 2.
[0046] As described above, the garment 31a of the second embodiment
is provided with two coils obliquely wound along the
circumferential surface of the garment in a symmetrical manner, and
one coil horizontally wound along the circumferential surface of
the garment, for power supply. The generated alternate current
magnetic field has more prominent non-directionality than the
magnetic field of the first embodiment. Therefore, no matter how
the orientation and the position of the capsule endoscope in the
subject change, the capsule endoscope still intersects with the
magnetic flux generated by the coils, whereby generated induced
electromotive force causes power supply to the capsule endoscope.
Thus, the capsule endoscope can receive power supply even more
efficiently. In the second embodiment, similarly to the first
embodiment, one electric cable may be sufficient to form three
coils using a different manner of winding.
[0047] A third embodiment of the vest is described with reference
to FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, a coil 67 is formed of one electric cable.
The coil 67 runs around and is continuously wound around the vest
31b. The coil 67 forms an intersection at the front side and the
back side of the vest and is placed at a predetermined horizontal
pitch at both sides of the vest.
[0048] The coil 67 is connected to driver circuits 68 and 69. The
driver circuits 68 and 69 are connected to the power supply unit 38
of the above-described external device 32. The power supply unit 38
supplies power. As a result of the power supply, an alternate
current magnetic field of a predetermined strength is generated in
the coil 67 similarly to the first and the second embodiments.
[0049] Specifically, central axes corresponding to respective loops
of the coil 67 are arranged in a continuous manner, and the
magnetic flux of the coil 67 radiates from the central axes. Then,
the magnetic fluxes intersect with each other to further extend
towards more various directions and further intersect with each
other. Thus, the magnetic fluxes of the coil 67 come to have a
complicated configuration, whereby a non-directional alternate
current magnetic field can be generated in the third embodiment as
well. In the third embodiment, when the power supply unit 38
supplies power to the coil 67, non-directional magnetic field is
generated. When the capsule endoscope 2 in the subject 1 reaches
the magnetic filed, induced electromotive force is generated in the
power receiving coil 29a (see FIG. 3) due to electromagnetic
induction, whereby the power is supplied to the inside of the
capsule endoscope 2.
[0050] In the third embodiment, one coil is arranged in and
continuously wound around the garment in such a manner that the
coil intersects with itself at the front side and the back side of
the garment on the circumferential surface thereof, and the
portions of the coil are placed at a predetermined horizontal pitch
at both sides of the garment. Therefore the resulting magnetic
fluxes have more complicated manner of intersection compared with
the magnetic fluxes of the first and the second embodiments, and
the resulting alternate current magnetic field is non-directional.
No matter how the orientation and the position of the capsule
endoscope change in the subject, the capsule endoscope still
intersects with the generated magnetic flux, whereby the generated
induced electromotive force causes the power supply to the capsule
endoscope. Thus, the capsule endoscope can receive power supply
even more efficiently.
[0051] A fourth embodiment of the vest will be described with
reference to FIG. 10. In FIG. 10, the vest 31c includes the coil 70
wound along the inner circumferential surface of the vest 31c and
extends along the horizontal direction. The coil 70, similarly to
the coil 70 in the second embodiment, is formed of one electric
cable wound to form a spiral loop of a predetermined pitch. The
coil 70 is connected to the power supply unit 38 of the external
device 32 via the driver circuit 71 and 72. The power supply unit
38 supplies power. The magnetic fluxes 70a of the coil 70 radiate
from a horizontal central axis of the subject body.
[0052] In the fourth embodiment, small sheet members 73 and 75 of a
predetermined size are formed. An electric cable is wound and forms
concentric spiral loops with the same diameter as a coil. Thus
formed coils 74 and 76 are pasted onto the sheet members 73 and 75,
respectively. The coil and the sheet member constitute a holding
member which contributes to maintain the self-inductance of the
coil at a stable level. One surface of each of the sheet members 73
and 75 has an adhesiveness to allow pasting of the coil. The sheet
members 73 and 75 are pasted on the front side and the back side of
the vest 31c, respectively, so that the sheet member 73 is placed
opposite to the sheet member 75, and both sheet members 73 and 75
overlap with the coil 70. The coils 74 and 76 are connected to the
power supply unit 38 of the external device 32 through the driver
circuits 77 to 80. The power supply unit 38 supplies power. The
sheet members 73 and 75 including the coils 74 and 76 can be pasted
at any position as necessary.
[0053] The coils 70, 74, and 76 of FIG. 10 generate alternate
current magnetic field as shown in FIG. 11. FIG. 11 shows the
alternate current magnetic field seen from the side of the vest
31c. The magnetic flux 70a of the coil 70 shown in FIG. 8 radiates
from the horizontal central axis of the subject body similarly to
the magnetic flux of the second embodiment. The magnetic fluxes 81
of the coils 74 and 76 are converged around the central axis
between the coils 74 and 76 so as to generate a uniform alternate
current magnetic field. At the same time, the magnetic fluxes 81
intersect with the magnetic fluxes 70a of the coil 70. Thus, a
non-directional alternate current magnetic field can be generated.
Further, magnetic fluxes 81 extend outward (i.e., direction outside
the subject) irradiating from the central axis.
[0054] When the power supply unit 38 supplies power to the coils
70, 74, and 76, electric current flows through the coils 70, 74,
and 76, to generate the magnetic fluxes 70a and 81 with a different
directionality so that the generated magnetic fluxes 70a and 81
pass through the coils 70, 74, and 76. When the capsule endoscope 2
reaches the magnetic field in the subject, induced electromotive
force is generated in the power receiving coil 29a (see FIG. 3) due
to the electromagnetic induction, whereby the power is supplied
inside the capsule endoscope 2.
[0055] As described above, the garment of the fourth embodiment is
provided with one coil horizontally wound around the
circumferential surface of the garment and two patch-type coils
together generating a magnetic field as a pair, for the power
supply. Thus, the non-directional alternate current magnetic field
is generated. Therefore, no matter how the orientation and the
position of the capsule endoscope change in the subject, the
capsule endoscope still intersects with the magnetic fluxes
generated from the coils, whereby the power is supplied to the
capsule endoscope due to the generated induced electromotive force.
Thus, the capsule endoscope can receive the power supply even more
efficiently. In addition, since the patch-type power supply coils
are employed in the fourth embodiment, the alternate current
magnetic field can be generated at any positions as necessary.
[0056] In the fourth embodiment, one set of the patch-type power
supply coils are employed. The present invention is, however, not
limited thereto. One patch-type power supply coil can also generate
the same alternate current magnetic field as the magnetic field in
the fourth embodiment. Needless to say, it is possible to employ
plural pairs of patch-type power supply coils. The plural pairs may
generate magnetic fluxes of plural different directionalities at
the same position or at various positions, to form complicated
intersections of magnetic fluxes. Then, the non-directionality of
the generated alternate current magnetic field is further enhanced.
The patch-type power supply coil of the fourth embodiment can be
used in combination with the coils of the first to the third
embodiments.
[0057] Another exemplary configuration of the sheet member
including the coil as shown in FIG. 10 is shown in FIG. 12. In FIG.
12, a spirally-wound electric cable, i.e., a coil 83 is pasted onto
a small sheet member 82 of a predetermined size, and forms a
holding member. The holding member contributes to maintain the
self-inductance of the coil at a stable level. When the power
supply unit 38 supplies power to the coil 83 through driver
circuits (not shown), electric current flows through the coil 83 to
generate similar magnetic fluxes as those of the coils 74 and 76
shown in FIG. 11. One surface of the sheet member 82 has
adhesiveness to allow pasting of the coil.
[0058] When the sheet member 82 with the above-described
configuration is pasted onto the garment provided with the coil 70;
or when at least one sheet member 82 is pasted onto the subject
body; or when at least two sheet members 82 are pasted onto the
front side and the back side, respectively, of the garment or the
subject body; or when at least two sheet members 82 are pasted onto
the right and the left sides, respectively, of the garment or the
subject body, a non-directional alternate current magnetic field
can be generated. These configurations achieve the same advantages
as those of the fourth embodiment. The coil in the sheet member of
FIG. 12 is formed to have concentric loops of different diameter
and hence the loops do not need to overlap with each other as in
the sheet member of FIG. 10. Therefore, the sheet member of FIG. 12
can be made thinner than the sheet member of FIG. 10.
[0059] Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur
to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its
broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and
representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly,
various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit
or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the
appended claims and their equivalents.
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