Electromagnetic driving device and magnetic control system for capsule endoscope

Abstract

The present application provides an electromagnetic driving device and a magnetic control system for a capsule endoscope, which relates to the technical field of medical devices. The electromagnetic driving device includes: a permanent magnet for adjusting the attitude and / or position of the capsule endoscope; a bracket assembly, with a bracket assembly arranged on the outer periphery of the permanent magnet. The bracket assembly includes a cage and balls arranged on the cage, and the outer surfaces of at least some of the balls are in contact with the outer surface of the permanent magnet; an electromagnet, with an electromagnet arranged on the outside of the bracket assembly. The magnetic force generated by the electromagnet can drive the permanent magnet to move, and by changing the magnitude and / or direction of the current of the electromagnet, the attitude and / or position of the permanent magnet can be adjusted, thereby realizing the adjustment of the attitude and / or position of the capsule endoscope. The present application has the characteristics of simple and compact structure and low cost, and can alleviate the problems existing in the existing magnetic control system for capsule endoscopes, such as large volume and high cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of medical devices, and in particular, to an electromagnetic driving device and a magnetic control system for a capsule endoscope. Background Art

[0002] A capsule endoscope can be used for imaging examination inside the human body. Currently, using a capsule endoscope for routine examinations of the human digestive tract and the like is a relatively advanced diagnostic method in the market. When the capsule endoscope enters the human body, the position and posture of the capsule endoscope can be controlled through a control system to achieve a more comprehensive examination in the stomach. Compared with inserting a traditional electronic endoscope, swallowing a capsule endoscope does not cause discomfort to the examiner physically and mentally, and also reduces the possibility of cross-infection.

[0003] Currently, for the control of a capsule endoscope, an external magnetic control technology can be used to achieve the positioning and guidance of the movement of the capsule endoscope in the body. That is, a magnetically controlled capsule endoscope is a classification of capsule endoscopes that can actively control the examination field of view through an operating end, and is a commonly used control method at present. A magnet is placed outside the human body, and a magnet is installed inside the capsule endoscope. By changing the orientation and posture of the external magnet of the human body, an orderly change in the magnetic field around the magnet is caused, so that the magnet built into the magnetically controlled capsule endoscope is affected by the external changing magnetic field to drive the capsule endoscope, realizing the guidance and control of the movement direction and shooting direction of the capsule endoscope, thereby realizing the change of the examination field of view of the capsule endoscope, and being able to play a role in positioning the position of the capsule endoscope in the human body. However, most of the existing magnetic control systems for capsule endoscopes adopt a motor-driven method, and use a motor to cooperate with various slide rails, robotic arms, etc. to adjust the posture or position of the external magnet. However, the magnetically controlled device based on motor drive in the prior art has a complex structure, a large volume (large circumferential dimension) of the magnetically controlled device due to the complex transmission chain design, and a high cost due to the use of components such as servo motors, controllers, and harmonic reducers.

[0004] In view of this, the present application is specifically proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present application is to provide an electromagnetic driving device and a magnetic control system for a capsule endoscope, which have the characteristics of simple and compact structure, low cost, etc., and can overcome the above problems or at least partially solve the above technical problems.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the technical solution adopted by the present application is as follows:

[0007] According to one aspect of the present application, the present application provides an electromagnetic driving device, including:

[0008] A permanent magnet, used to adjust the posture and / or position of the capsule endoscope;

[0009] A bracket assembly, the bracket assembly is disposed on the outer periphery of the permanent magnet, the bracket assembly includes a cage and balls disposed on the cage, and the outer surfaces of at least some of the balls are in contact with the outer surface of the permanent magnet;

[0010] An electromagnet, the electromagnet is disposed outside the bracket assembly, the magnetic force generated by the electromagnet can drive the permanent magnet to move, and the attitude and / or position of the permanent magnet can be adjusted by changing the magnitude and / or direction of the current of the electromagnet, thereby realizing the adjustment of the attitude and / or position of the capsule endoscope.

[0011] In a possible implementation manner, the permanent magnet includes a spherical permanent magnet.

[0012] In a possible implementation manner, the cage includes a hemispherical first cage and a hemispherical second cage, the first cage and the second cage enclose to form the cage with a cavity inside, and the permanent magnet is placed in the cavity.

[0013] In a possible implementation manner, a cavity is provided inside the cage, the permanent magnet is placed in the cavity and can rotate inside the cavity;

[0014] A plurality of ball receiving portions are provided on the surface of the cage, and the plurality of balls are respectively placed in the plurality of ball receiving portions, and the plurality of balls can rotate in the ball receiving portions when the permanent magnet rotates.

[0015] In a possible implementation manner, there is a gap between the outer surface of the permanent magnet and the inner surface of the cage;

[0016] The ball is in contact with the outer surface of the permanent magnet; preferably, it is a point-to-surface contact.

[0017] In a possible implementation manner, the ball is in point-to-surface contact with both the outer surface of the permanent magnet and the cage.

[0018] In a possible implementation manner, the electromagnetic driving device further includes a housing, the interior of the housing has a receiving cavity, the bracket assembly and the permanent magnet are placed in the receiving cavity, and the electromagnet is disposed outside the housing.

[0019] In a possible implementation manner, the housing includes a first housing and a second housing, the first housing and the second housing enclose to form a housing with a receiving cavity inside; the first housing and the second housing are detachably connected.

[0020] In a possible implementation manner, the first housing and the second housing are connected by screws.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the electromagnet includes at least one set of electromagnetic coils, and each set of electromagnetic coils is respectively arranged around the outer periphery of the housing in different directions.

[0022] In a possible implementation, the electromagnet includes three sets of electromagnetic coils, and the three sets of electromagnetic coils are respectively arranged around the outer periphery of the housing in three directions.

[0023] Optionally, the three directions include the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction.

[0024] In a possible implementation, the electromagnet includes an electromagnetic coil, and the electromagnetic coil includes:

[0025] A first electromagnetic coil for providing a magnetic field in the X-axis direction;

[0026] A second electromagnetic coil for providing a magnetic field in the Y-axis direction;

[0027] A third electromagnetic coil for providing a magnetic field in the Z-axis direction;

[0028] Wherein, the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0029] In a possible implementation, the electromagnetic driving device further includes an outer cover, and the outer cover covers the outside of the electromagnetic coil to achieve safety protection for the electromagnetic coil, the bracket assembly, and the permanent magnet. The power supply wire of the electromagnetic coil can be led out from any one or more directions such as the upper part, the lower part, or the side part of the outer cover.

[0030] In a possible implementation, the electromagnetic driving device further includes a current controller. The electromagnetic coil is electrically connected to the current controller, and the electromagnetic coil is driven by the current controller. The current controller can turn on or cut off the power supply of the electromagnetic coil.

[0031] The magnetic field generated when the electromagnetic coil is energized can drive the permanent magnet to rotate. Further, when the electromagnetic coil is energized, magnetic attraction or magnetic repulsion is generated between the electromagnetic coil and the permanent magnet, so that the permanent magnet moves within the cage. At the same time, during the movement of the permanent magnet, it interacts with the balls to form rolling friction, which can reduce the required driving force.

[0032] In a possible implementation, the electromagnetic driving device further includes a mounting bracket. After the permanent magnet, the bracket assembly, the housing, and the electromagnet are combined into a whole, they can be mounted on the mounting bracket.

[0033] According to another aspect of the present application, the present application provides a magnetic control system for a capsule endoscope for controlling the capsule endoscope, including the capsule endoscope and the electromagnetic driving device as described above.

[0034] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution provided by the present application can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0035] The electromagnetic driving device provided by the present application includes a permanent magnet, a bracket assembly, and an electromagnet. Among them, the bracket assembly includes a cage and balls. The permanent magnet is arranged inside the cage, and the outer surface of the permanent magnet contacts the outer surface of the balls. The electromagnet is arranged outside the bracket assembly. Thus, the electromagnetic driving device has a simple and compact structure, a relatively small volume, and a relatively light weight, and can avoid the problem of high cost caused by using components such as motors and reducers, and can also reliably control the magnetic control capsule endoscope. Specifically, the electromagnetic driving device uses a permanent magnet as the driving force source of the magnetic control capsule endoscope, uses the magnetic field force generated when the electromagnet is energized to drive various movements of the permanent magnet, and also enables the permanent magnet to rotate freely through the frictional force between the balls and the outer surface of the permanent magnet, and relies on a relatively small rolling friction to reduce the required driving force.

[0036] The capsule endoscope magnetic control system of the present application includes the electromagnetic driving device described above, and has all the characteristics and advantages of the electromagnetic driving device described above, which will not be elaborated here.

[0037] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and do not limit the present application. Description of the Drawings

[0038] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0039] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of a device for controlling the movement of a capsule endoscope in the prior art;

[0040] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the electromagnetic driving device provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 3 It is an exploded schematic diagram of the internal structural parts of the electromagnet provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 4 It is a schematic assembly structure diagram of the bracket assembly and the permanent magnet provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 5 For Figure 4 The enlarged schematic view at position A in

[0044] Icon:

[0045] 1 - Three - axis displacement base; 2 - Magneto - control device; 3 - Magnetic ball;

[0046] 100 - Permanent magnet;

[0047] 200 - Bracket assembly; 201 - Cage; 2011 - First cage; 2012 - Second cage; 211 - Ball receiving part; 202 - Ball;

[0048] 300 - Housing; 301 - First housing; 302 - Second housing;

[0049] 400 - Electromagnet; 401 - First electromagnetic coil; 402 - Second electromagnetic coil; 403 - Third electromagnetic coil;

[0050] 500 - Screw. Detailed implementation manners

[0051] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application more clear and understandable, the following further details this application in combination with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this application and are not used to limit this application.

[0052] In the description of this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "first", "second", "third" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance; unless otherwise specified or stated, the term "plural" means two or more; the terms "connection", "fixation", etc. should all be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, an integral connection, or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0053] In the description of this specification, it should be understood that the orientation terms such as "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", etc. described in the embodiments of this application are described from the angles shown in the accompanying drawings and should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of this application. In addition, in the context, it should also be understood that when it is mentioned that an element is connected "above" or "below" another element, it can not only be directly connected "above" or "below" another element, but also be indirectly connected "above" or "below" another element through an intermediate element.

[0054] It should be noted that the term "and / or" or " / " used in this article is merely a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. The singular forms of "a", "the", and "said" used in the embodiments of this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0055] If there is no special description, all the technical features and preferred features mentioned in this article can be combined with each other to form a new technical solution. Unless otherwise defined or explained, the professional and scientific terms used in this article have the same meaning as those familiar to skilled personnel in the art.

[0056] Those skilled in the art understand that, as described in the background art, most of the existing magnetic control systems for capsule endoscopes adopt the motor drive method, which has the disadvantages of relatively complex structure, large volume, and high cost. Exemplarily, referring to Figure 1 As shown, the patent with the publication number CN 103222842A discloses a device and method for controlling the movement of a capsule endoscope in the human digestive tract, which includes a three-axis displacement base 1, a magnetic control device 2, and a magnetic sphere 3. By the three-axis displacement base 1, the position of the magnetic control device 2 can be changed, and the magnetic control device 2 uses a magnetic sphere 3 with an adjustable attitude to provide a variable external magnetic field for the magnetic control capsule endoscope.

[0057] Generally, in the prior art, the magnetic control device 2 uses a motor to control the magnetic sphere 3, thereby adjusting the magnetic field generated by the magnetic control device 2. In order to achieve the control of the magnetic sphere 3 by the motor, the magnetic control device 2 usually further includes a transmission chain matched with the motor to ensure the precise control of the magnetic sphere 3 by the motor. However, in order to achieve the multi-degree-of-freedom movement of the magnetic sphere 3, at least two motors and the transmission chains cooperating with them need to be arranged on the magnetic control device 2, resulting in a large volume and weight of the magnetic control device 2. Further, in order to install the above magnetic control device 2, sufficient movement space needs to be reserved for the magnetic control device 2, so the volume of the entire capsule endoscope control system also increases accordingly.

[0058] Therefore, in order to overcome the imperfections of the prior art and further meet the current market demands, the technical solution of the embodiments of this application provides an electromagnetic drive device and a capsule endoscope magnetic control system including the electromagnetic drive device, in order to alleviate the problems such as complex structure, large volume, and high cost existing in the prior art.

[0059] In a first aspect, please refer to Figures 2 - 5 As shown, in some embodiments, an electromagnetic drive device is provided, including:

[0060] A permanent magnet 100, which is used to adjust the attitude and / or position of the capsule endoscope;

[0061] A support assembly 200 is provided on the outer periphery of the permanent magnet 100. The support assembly 200 includes a cage 201 and balls 202 provided on the cage 201. The outer surface of at least a part of the balls 202 is in contact with the outer surface of the permanent magnet 100.

[0062] An electromagnet 400 is provided outside the support assembly 200. The magnetic force generated by the electromagnet 400 can drive the permanent magnet 100 to move. By changing the magnitude and / or direction of the current of the electromagnet 400, the attitude and / or position of the permanent magnet 100 can be adjusted, and thus the attitude and / or position of the capsule endoscope can be adjusted.

[0063] Those skilled in the art understand that the above-mentioned capsule endoscope can also be referred to as a capsule endoscopy, which integrates a magnet, an optical imaging system, etc. inside and is used for imaging examinations of the stomach and other parts in the human body. It needs to rely on an external magnetic field to precisely control the movement, attitude, and direction of the capsule endoscope entering the human body to achieve a more comprehensive examination of the stomach and other parts in the human body. The electromagnetic drive device in the embodiment of the present application adopts an electromagnetic drive form to drive the permanent magnet 100 to move, and controls the movement of the permanent magnet 100 to drive the change of the attitude and position of the capsule endoscope in the human body.

[0064] The above-mentioned attitude and / or position can be understood as attitude, position, or both attitude and position. The above-mentioned magnitude and / or direction of the current can be understood as the magnitude of the current, the direction of the current, or both the magnitude and direction of the current.

[0065] The outer surface of at least a part of the above-mentioned balls 202 being in contact with the outer surface of the permanent magnet 100 can be understood as that in a stationary state, a certain part of the outer surface of the balls 202 is in contact with a certain part of the outer surface of the permanent magnet 100. During the rotation process, the balls 202 can rotate together with the permanent magnet 100, and part or all of the outer surface of the balls 202 can be in contact with the outer surface of the permanent magnet 100. Thus, it can be used to realize the rotation of the balls 202 following the permanent magnet 100 through friction, that is, during the rotation process of the permanent magnet 100, the balls 202 can be driven to rotate by the frictional force, so that the driving force required for the permanent magnet 100 can be reduced, and then the permanent magnet 100 can rotate smoothly within the support assembly 200.

[0066] The electromagnetic drive device includes a permanent magnet 100, a support assembly 200 and an electromagnet 400, wherein the support assembly 200 includes a holder 201 and a ball 202, the permanent magnet 100 can be arranged inside the holder 201, the ball 202 can be arranged on the holder 201, the outer surface of the permanent magnet 100 can contact the outer surface of the ball 202, and the electromagnet 400 can be arranged on the outside of the support assembly 200, and the magnetic field generated by the electromagnet 400 when powered on can be used to drive the permanent magnet 100 to move, and the magnitude / direction of the corresponding magnetic field can be changed by changing the magnitude / direction of the current of the electromagnet 400, thereby adjusting the posture / position of the permanent magnet 100, thereby adjusting the posture / position of the capsule endoscope in the human body. In the embodiment of the present application, the electromagnet 400 may include an electromagnetic coil, and the magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic coil when powered on can drive the permanent magnet 100 to rotate. Furthermore, when the electromagnetic coil is energized, magnetic attraction or magnetic repulsion occurs between the electromagnetic coil and the permanent magnet 100, so that the permanent magnet 100 moves in the retaining frame 201. At the same time, during the movement, the permanent magnet 100 interacts with the ball 202 to form rolling friction, which can reduce the required driving force.

[0067] Therefore, compared with the prior art, the electromagnetic drive device of the present invention can be designed to be more compact in structure, without the need to set up a motor and a matching transmission chain, thereby greatly reducing the weight and volume of the electromagnetic drive device. According to the inventor's experiment, when the volume and weight of the permanent magnet 100 are the same, the volume of the electromagnetic drive device in the present application is reduced by 10% to 20% compared with the volume of the magnetic control device using a motor in the prior art. Furthermore, since the volume and weight of the electromagnetic drive device are reduced, the movement space required for it is reduced accordingly, making the structure of the capsule magnetic control system more compact. In addition, the volume and weight of the structure supporting the electromagnetic drive device are also reduced, thereby reducing the volume and weight of the capsule magnetic control system. Among them, the electromagnetic drive form can increase the degree of freedom of rotation of the permanent magnet 100 without increasing the components; the electromagnetic drive form can increase the force on the magnetically controlled capsule endoscope without increasing the volume and magnetization intensity of the permanent magnet 100. In addition, the electromagnetic drive form can avoid the problem of high cost caused by using components such as motors and reducers, and can also reliably control the magnetically controlled capsule endoscope. Specifically, the electromagnetic drive device uses a permanent magnet 100 as the driving force source of the magnetically controlled capsule endoscope, and uses the magnetic field force generated by the electromagnet 400 being energized to drive the permanent magnet 100 to perform various movements. The friction between the ball 202 and the outer surface of the permanent magnet 100 is also used to enable the permanent magnet 100 to rotate freely, and rely on smaller rolling friction to reduce the required driving force.

[0068] An electromagnet 400 is provided on the outer side of the bracket assembly 200. The magnetic force generated by the electromagnet 400 can drive the permanent magnet 100 to move. By changing the magnitude and / or direction of the current of the electromagnet 400, the attitude and / or position of the permanent magnet 100 can be adjusted, and thus the attitude and / or position of the capsule endoscope can be adjusted.

[0069] Next, the shape structure, material, connection relationship, etc. of each component in the electromagnetic driving device will be further elaborated in detail.

[0070] In some embodiments, the permanent magnet 100 includes, but is not limited to, a spherical permanent magnet, or may also be a quasi-spherical permanent magnet, etc. The spherical permanent magnet can be magnetized along the central axis.

[0071] It can be understood that the shape of the permanent magnet 100 can be a spherical permanent magnet or a quasi-spherical permanent magnet, etc. The electromagnetic driving device provided in the embodiments of the present application adopts an electromagnetic driving form, which can increase the acting force on the magnetically controlled capsule endoscope without increasing the volume and magnetization intensity of the permanent magnet 100. Therefore, the diameter, surface magnetic induction intensity, etc. of the spherical permanent magnet are not limited, and spherical permanent magnets with similar volumes and similar magnetic induction intensities (magnetization intensities) in the prior art can be used. The diameter, surface magnetic induction intensity, etc. of the specific spherical permanent magnet can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0072] In some embodiments, the spherical permanent magnet 100 can be made of permanent magnet materials such as neodymium iron boron, iron oxide, samarium cobalt, or aluminum nickel cobalt, which cause little radiation damage to the human body. In the embodiments of the present application, the material of the spherical permanent magnet 100 is not particularly limited, and common permanent magnet materials in the art such as neodymium iron boron and iron oxide can be used.

[0073] The above-mentioned permanent magnet 100 is preferably a spherical permanent magnet. Correspondingly, the shape of the cage 201 matches the shape of the permanent magnet 100, that is, the overall shape of the cage 201 is also preferably spherical. The spherical cage has a cavity inside, and the spherical permanent magnet 100 can be placed in the cavity. The diameter of the cage 201 can be slightly larger than the diameter of the spherical permanent magnet 100, so that the spherical permanent magnet 100 can rotate freely in the spherical space.

[0074] Optionally, the ball 202 is also a spherical ball; further, the ball 202 can be a hollow ball. The diameter of the ball 202 can be much smaller than the diameter of the spherical permanent magnet 100. Exemplarily, the ratio of the diameter of the ball 202 to the diameter of the permanent magnet 100 can be 1:20 - 1:40, and further can be 1:25 - 1:35; for example, the ratio of the diameter of the ball 202 to the diameter of the permanent magnet 100 can be 1:20, 1:25, 1:30, 1:35, 1:40, etc.; and the rolling friction force can be adjusted by changing the diameter of the ball 202. There is no special limitation on the diameter size of the ball 202 or the ratio of the diameter of the ball 202 to the diameter of the permanent magnet 100, and it can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0075] Those skilled in the art can understand that regardless of the shape and structure of the ball 202, in order to meet the requirement of reducing the force required to drive the permanent magnet 100 to rotate, it is only necessary to make it contact with the outer surface of the permanent magnet 100. That is, the ball 202 can be a spherical ball, but it is not limited thereto, and there can be more choices, thereby enriching the diversity of the selection of the ball 202.

[0076] Exemplarily, the shape of the ball 202 can be spherical, and can also be columnar, ellipsoidal, other regular or irregular shape structures, etc., as long as it can meet the requirement of reducing the force required to drive the permanent magnet 100 to rotate and does not limit the purpose of the present invention.

[0077] In the embodiments of the present application, there is no limitation on the specific types of the material of the cage 201 and the material of the ball 202, and it can be set by those skilled in the art according to actual needs. For example, it can be steel material or other metal materials, etc.

[0078] In order to reduce the influence on the permanent magnet 100 and more precisely control and adjust the posture and / or position of the capsule endoscope, preferably, the material of the ball 202 is a non-magnetic material, that is, the ball 202 can be a non-magnetic ball. For example, the material of the ball 202 can be plastic, ceramic, aluminum alloy, austenitic stainless steel and other materials. In addition, the non-magnetic material needs to meet certain hardness requirements, and the non-magnetic material needs to be a hard or non-deformable material to avoid deformation of the ball 202 when rotating with the permanent magnet 100, which affects the rotation of the permanent magnet 100.

[0079] Similarly, in order to reduce the influence on the permanent magnet 100 and more precisely control and adjust the posture and / or position of the capsule endoscope, preferably, the material of the cage 201 is a non-magnetic material, for example, it can be plastic, ceramic, aluminum alloy, austenitic stainless steel and other materials.

[0080] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3As shown, the cage 201 includes a hemispherical first cage 2011 and a hemispherical second cage 2012. The first cage 2011 and the second cage 2012 enclose to form a cage 201 with a cavity inside, and the permanent magnet 100 is placed in the cavity.

[0081] To facilitate the insertion or removal of the permanent magnet 100, two hemispherical cages are provided in the embodiments of the present application. That is, the cage 201 includes a first cage 2011 and a second cage 2012. Both the first cage 2011 and the second cage 2012 can be hemispherical, and the first cage 2011 and the second cage 2012 are matched to just enclose a spherical structure. The first cage 2011 and the second cage 2012 can adopt a detachable connection method. Thus, it is convenient for installation and disassembly. The permanent magnet 100 can be flexibly inserted into or removed from the cage 201, which is convenient for replacement, and the permanent magnet 100 can freely rotate in the spherical space. The specific connection method of the first cage 2011 and the second cage 2012 is not limited and can be set by those skilled in the art according to actual needs.

[0082] In some embodiments, as Figures 3 - 5 shown, the ball 202 includes a plurality of balls;

[0083] The inside of the cage 201 is provided with a cavity, and the permanent magnet 100 is placed in the cavity and can rotate in the cavity;

[0084] A plurality of ball receiving portions 211 are formed on the surface of the cage 201, and the plurality of balls 202 are respectively placed in the plurality of ball receiving portions 211. When the permanent magnet 100 rotates, the plurality of balls 202 can rotate in the ball receiving portions 211.

[0085] Optionally, the plurality of ball receiving portions 211 can be evenly arranged on the surface of the cage 201; for example, the plurality of ball receiving portions 211 can be distributed in a ring-by-ring manner, and a plurality of ball receiving portions 211 can be arranged in each ring. Thus, it is more helpful to form rolling friction through the action of the balls 202 to reduce the frictional force, so that the permanent magnet 100 can freely rotate.

[0086] In order to enable the spherical permanent magnet 100 to rotate freely and rely on relatively small rolling friction to reduce the required driving force, the embodiment of the present application designs a cage 201 and balls 202. The cage 201 can be a hollow spherical structure, and the interior of the cage 201 can have a cavity matching the spherical permanent magnet 100, that is, a spherical space, so that the spherical permanent magnet 100 can be placed in the spherical space and the spherical permanent magnet 100 can rotate within the spherical space; moreover, a plurality of ball receiving portions 211 matching the balls 202 can be formed on the surface of the cage 201, the plurality of ball receiving portions 211 can form a ring, and the plurality of balls 202 can be correspondingly embedded in the plurality of ball receiving portions 211. When the permanent magnet 100 rotates, the plurality of balls 202 can rotate within the corresponding ball receiving portions 211.

[0087] According to the embodiment of the present application, rotatable balls 202 are arranged in the ball receiving portions 211, and the outer surfaces of the balls 202 are in contact with the outer surface of the spherical permanent magnet 100. When the spherical permanent magnet 100 rotates, the plurality of balls 202 can rotate within the ball receiving portions 211, or the plurality of balls 202 can respectively rotate along the inner wall of the ball receiving portions 211. Thus, rolling friction between the spherical permanent magnet 100 and the balls 202 can be achieved, greatly reducing the resistance when the spherical permanent magnet 100 rotates and helping to improve work efficiency.

[0088] Optionally, the ball receiving portion 211 can be a ball mounting hole, the balls 202 are embedded in the ball mounting holes on the cage 201, and the balls 202 can be in point-surface contact with the spherical permanent magnet 100 and the ball receiving portions 211 of the cage 201. The ball receiving portion 211 can be a circular hole, a spherical groove, a spherical cavity, a hemispherical mounting hole, etc.

[0089] It should be understood that a plurality of ball mounting holes matching the diameters of the balls 202 can be uniformly formed on the surface of the cage 201 for placing the balls 202 and limiting the balls 202 to prevent the balls 202 from moving around in the cage 201 or on the outer surface of the spherical permanent magnet 100.

[0090] In some embodiments, the number of the ball receiving portions 211 or the balls 202 can be 4 - 120, 8 - 110, can be 10 - 100, can be 20 - 90, can be 30 - 80, can be 30 - 60, etc. There is no limitation on the specific number of the ball receiving portions 211 or the balls 202, and it can be set by those skilled in the art according to actual needs.

[0091] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5As shown, there is a gap between the outer surface of the permanent magnet 100 and the inner surface of the cage 201; the size of this gap can be the part where the ball 202 protrudes from the inner surface of the cage 201. It can be understood that the outer diameter of the permanent magnet 100 can be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cage 201 to facilitate the free rotation of the permanent magnet 100. Also, the ball 202 can be embedded in the ball receiving portion 211 on the cage 201, and the ball 202 is in point - surface contact with the outer surface of the permanent magnet 100.

[0092] Furthermore, the ball 202 can be embedded in the ball receiving portion 211 on the cage 201, and the ball 202 can be in point - surface contact with both the permanent magnet 100 and the ball receiving portion 211 of the cage 201. Thus, the friction during the rotational movement of the permanent magnet 100 can form rolling friction through the interaction with the ball 202 to reduce the frictional force.

[0093] As can be seen from the above, according to the embodiments of the present application, the permanent magnet 100 can be a spherical permanent magnet, the cage 201 can be a hollow spherical structure nested outside the spherical permanent magnet 100; the ball 202 can be a spherical structure and is placed (embedded) in the ball receiving portion 211 of the cage 201. The ball 202 can be in point - surface contact with both the permanent magnet 100 and the ball receiving portion 211 of the cage 201, and is used to achieve the rotation of the ball 202 along with the spherical permanent magnet 100 through rolling friction, so as to reduce the resistance when the spherical permanent magnet 100 rotates.

[0094] Furthermore, by using an electromagnetic driving method, an electromagnet 400 is arranged outside the cage 201. The electromagnet 400 can cooperate with the spherical permanent magnet 100. By controlling the magnitude and direction of the current of the electromagnet 400, the coupling magnetic field intensity of the electromagnet 400 is controlled, and the spherical permanent magnet 100 generates a magnetic force in the coupling magnetic field to rotate, thereby realizing the three - degree - of - freedom arbitrary - direction full - rotation drive of the spherical permanent magnet 100.

[0095] To protect the spherical permanent magnet 100 and the bracket assembly 200, and to facilitate the arrangement of the electromagnet 400, as Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown, in some embodiments, the electromagnetic driving device further includes a housing 300. The interior of the housing 300 has a receiving cavity, the bracket assembly 200 and the permanent magnet 100 are placed in the receiving cavity, and the electromagnet 400 is arranged outside the housing 300.

[0096] It should be understood that the accommodation cavity of the housing 300 needs to match the shape of the cage 201. For example, when the permanent magnet 100 is a spherical permanent magnet and the cage 201 is a hollow spherical structure, the accommodation cavity also needs to be a spherical accommodation cavity, and the size of the accommodation cavity needs to match the outer diameter of the cage 201. Exemplarily, the spherical permanent magnet 100 is arranged inside the spherical cage 201. The surface of the spherical cage 201 is provided with a ball accommodation portion 211 that matches the balls 202. The balls 202 are embedded in the ball accommodation portion 211. The spherical permanent magnet 100 and the cage 201 with the balls 202 are placed in the housing 300 with a spherical accommodation cavity, that is, the housing 300 is nested outside the cage 201 with the balls 202.

[0097] Optionally, the housing 300 can be a hollow spherical structure with a spherical accommodation cavity inside.

[0098] Optionally, the housing 300 can also be a housing structure with a spherical accommodation cavity inside and a square shape outside.

[0099] It should be noted that there is no limitation on the overall structural shape of the housing 300, as long as the accommodation cavity inside it adapts to the shape of the cage 201, and its outer shape can be circular or square, etc.

[0100] For the convenience of installation and disassembly, and the insertion or removal of the bracket assembly 200, as Figure 3 shown, in some embodiments, the housing 300 includes a first housing 301 and a second housing 302. The first housing 301 and the second housing 302 enclose to form a housing 300 with an accommodation cavity inside; the first housing 301 and the second housing 302 are detachably connected. That is, the first housing 301 and the second housing 302 match and can just enclose to form a housing structure with a spherical accommodation cavity inside. The first housing 301 and the second housing 302 can adopt a detachable connection method. For example, the first housing 301 and the second housing 302 can be connected together by screws 500. Thus, it is convenient for installation and disassembly, and the bracket assembly 200 can be flexibly inserted or removed from the housing, which is convenient for replacement, safe and reliable.

[0101] In some embodiments, the first housing 301 and the second housing 302 are connected by screws 500.

[0102] As Figure 2 shown, in some embodiments, the electromagnet 400 includes at least one group of electromagnetic coils. Each group of electromagnetic coils is respectively arranged around the outer periphery of the housing 300 in different directions. The permanent magnet 100 and the bracket assembly 200 are arranged inside the housing 300.

[0103] Specifically, the electromagnet 400 may include three sets of electromagnetic coils, which are respectively arranged around the outer periphery of the housing 300 along three directions.

[0104] Since the permanent magnet 100 is arranged inside the housing 300 and the electromagnetic coils are wrapped outside the housing 300, in order to reduce the influence on the permanent magnet 100 and more precisely control and adjust the posture and / or position of the capsule endoscope, preferably, the material of the housing 300 is a non-magnetic material, that is, the housing 300 can be a non-magnetic housing. For example, the material of the housing 300 can be materials such as plastic, ceramic, aluminum alloy, austenitic stainless steel, etc. Otherwise, if a housing 300 made of magnetic material is used, it is easily magnetized during use, and the intensity and direction of its magnetization will change, which will further cause great uncertainty in the control effect and affect the regulation of the posture and / or position of the capsule endoscope.

[0105] Further, these three directions include the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. That is, one set of electromagnetic coils can be arranged around the outside of the housing 300 along the X-axis direction to generate an X-axis magnetic field; another set of electromagnetic coils can be arranged around the outside of the housing 300 along the Y-axis direction to generate a Y-axis magnetic field; another set of electromagnetic coils can be arranged around the outside of the housing 300 along the Z-axis direction to generate a Z-axis magnetic field.

[0106] It can be understood that the electromagnetic coil can adjust the magnetic induction intensity by controlling the magnitude and direction of the current. Since the electrical signal is much faster than mechanical movement, adjusting the magnetic field with an electromagnetic coil, that is, by means of electromagnetic drive, also has the characteristics of fast response and higher precision.

[0107] As Figure 2 shown, in some embodiments, the electromagnet 400 includes electromagnetic coils, and the electromagnetic coils include:

[0108] The first electromagnetic coil 401, which is used to provide a magnetic field in the X-axis direction;

[0109] The second electromagnetic coil 402, which is used to provide a magnetic field in the Y-axis direction;

[0110] The third electromagnetic coil 403, which is used to provide a magnetic field in the Z-axis direction;

[0111] Among them, the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction are perpendicular to each other. These three sets of electromagnetic coils can be respectively arranged around the outer periphery of the housing 300 along the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction.

[0112] According to the embodiments of the present application, the electromagnetic coil in the electromagnetic driving device can be arranged on the outer side of the housing 300, the spherical permanent magnet 100 can be arranged on the inner side of the housing 300, and the spherical permanent magnet 100 can be magnetized along the central axis. Under the action of the current, a magnetic field with a basically constant direction can be formed inside the housing 300. When each group of coils is energized separately, the directions of the magnetic fields are the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions respectively. When the magnitude and direction of the current passing through each group of coils change, the magnitude and direction of the corresponding magnetic field can be changed. When any two or three of the electromagnetic coils are energized simultaneously, the magnetic fields formed by the coils inside are vectorially added to obtain a coupled magnetic field with any direction and magnitude. Under the action of the coupled magnetic field, the permanent magnet 100 rotates, and then the magnetic control endoscope capsule can be controlled to flip. That is, by adjusting the magnitude and direction of the current of the above electromagnetic coils, the position and attitude of the spherical permanent magnet 100 can be adjusted, and further the magnitude and direction of the magnetic force received by the capsule endoscope inside the human body can be adjusted, so that the capsule endoscope can be stably controlled to achieve various posture changes such as floating and sinking inside the human body.

[0113] It should be noted that the embodiments of the present application do not limit the shape or form of the above electromagnetic coil, which can be rectangular, circular or other shapes, etc.; the number of turns of the electromagnetic coil is also not limited, and the number of turns of the electromagnetic coil can be adjusted according to the required electromagnetic force, not limited to a single turn. The electromagnetic coil exemplarily shown in the attached drawings of the present application does not constitute a limitation to the electromagnetic coil. More generally, the electromagnetic coil can have any structural form.

[0114] The embodiments of the present application also do not limit the current in the electromagnetic coil, which can be alternating current or direct current.

[0115] Optionally, the electromagnetic driving device can further include an outer cover (not shown), and the outer cover covers the outside of the electromagnetic coil to achieve safety protection for the electromagnetic coil, the bracket assembly 200, and the permanent magnet 100. The power cord of the electromagnetic coil can be led out from the upper part, lower part or side part of the outer cover.

[0116] Optionally, the electromagnetic driving device can further include a current controller (not shown). The electromagnetic coil is electrically connected to the current controller, and the electromagnetic coil is driven by the current controller. The current controller can turn on or off the power supply of the electromagnetic coil. The magnetic field generated when the electromagnetic coil is energized can drive the permanent magnet 100 to move.

[0117] Optionally, the electromagnetic driving device further includes a mounting rack (not shown). After the permanent magnet 100, the bracket assembly 200, the housing 300, and the electromagnet 400 are combined into a whole, they can be installed on the mounting rack.

[0118] The embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific structural forms, types, connection manners, etc. of the above-mentioned outer cover, current controller, and mounting bracket, which can be adjusted according to the above-mentioned permanent magnet 100, bracket assembly 200, housing 300, and electromagnetic coil. For example, the outer cover can be a hollow sphere or a hollow cylinder, etc.

[0119] In a second aspect, in some embodiments, a magnetic control system for a capsule endoscope is provided, including an electromagnetic driving device.

[0120] It can be understood that the magnetic control system for the capsule endoscope can be used to control the capsule endoscope, including the capsule endoscope and the electromagnetic driving device described above.

[0121] Those skilled in the art can understand that the magnetic control system for the capsule endoscope in the second aspect of the present application and the foregoing electromagnetic driving device are based on the same inventive concept. All the features and advantages described for the electromagnetic driving device previously are equally applicable to the magnetic control system for the capsule endoscope including the electromagnetic driving device. The relevant functions and principles have been described in detail in the first aspect and will not be elaborated here one by one.

[0122] It should be noted that the content not described in detail in the above descriptions of the electromagnetic driving device and the magnetic control system for the capsule endoscope are all common structures or conventional operation methods that are easily conceivable by those skilled in the art. One can refer to the prior art or make selections and adjustments according to the actual situation by those skilled in the art. Therefore, the detailed descriptions thereof can be omitted.

[0123] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present application and are not used to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, various changes and modifications can be made to the present application. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included within the protection scope of the present application.

[0124] It should be pointed out that a part of the patent application document of this patent contains content protected by copyright. Except for making copies of the patent document or recorded patent file content of the patent office, the copyright owner reserves the copyright.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic drive device, characterized in that, Comprising: A permanent magnet for adjusting the attitude and / or position of the capsule endoscope; A bracket assembly, the bracket assembly is arranged on the outer periphery of the permanent magnet, the bracket assembly includes a cage and balls arranged on the cage, and the outer surfaces of at least some of the balls are in contact with the outer surface of the permanent magnet; An electromagnet, the electromagnet is arranged on the outer side of the bracket assembly, the magnetic force generated by the electromagnet can drive the permanent magnet to move, and the attitude and / or position of the permanent magnet can be adjusted by changing the magnitude and / or direction of the current of the electromagnet, thereby realizing the adjustment of the attitude and / or position of the capsule endoscope.

2. The electromagnetic driving device according to claim 1, characterized in that The permanent magnet includes a spherical permanent magnet.

3. The electromagnetic drive device according to claim 1, characterized in that The cage includes a hemispherical first cage and a hemispherical second cage, the first cage and the second cage enclose to form the cage with a cavity inside, and the permanent magnet is placed in the cavity.

4. The electromagnetic driving device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The interior of the cage is provided with a cavity, the permanent magnet is placed in the cavity and can rotate in the cavity; The surface of the cage is provided with a plurality of ball receiving parts, and the plurality of balls are respectively placed in the plurality of ball receiving parts, and the plurality of balls can rotate in the ball receiving parts when the permanent magnet rotates.

5. The electromagnetic driving device according to claim 4, characterized in that, There is a gap between the outer surface of the permanent magnet and the inner surface of the cage; The balls are in contact with the outer surface of the permanent magnet.

6. The electromagnetic drive device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The electromagnetic driving device further includes a housing, the interior of the housing has a receiving cavity, the bracket assembly and the permanent magnet are placed in the receiving cavity, and the electromagnet is arranged on the outer side of the housing.

7. The electromagnetic driving device according to claim 6, characterized in that The housing includes a first housing and a second housing, the first housing and the second housing enclose to form the housing with a receiving cavity inside; the first housing and the second housing are detachably connected.

8. The electromagnetic driving device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The electromagnet includes at least one group of electromagnetic coils, and each group of electromagnetic coils is respectively arranged around the outer periphery of the housing in different directions.

9. The electromagnetic drive device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The electromagnet includes an electromagnetic coil, and the electromagnetic coil includes: A first electromagnetic coil for providing a magnetic field in the X-axis direction; A second electromagnetic coil for providing a magnetic field in the Y-axis direction; A third electromagnetic coil for providing a magnetic field in the Z-axis direction; Wherein, the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction are perpendicular to each other.

10. A magnetic control system for a capsule endoscope, characterized in that, Comprising the electromagnetic driving device according to any one of claims 1-9.

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