Ingestible Capsule with Dissolvable Delay for GI Sampling

The patent employs disposable capsule devices that are ingested, perform sampling or drug delivery, and are then excreted. These single-use capsules eliminate the need for expensive, invasive endoscopic procedures while maintaining sampling effectiveness. The capsules contain all necessary components (reservoir, actuation mechanism, sealing means) in a compact, disposable format.

The patent extracts the sampling and drug delivery functionality from complex endoscopic equipment and encapsulates it in simple, ingestible capsule devices. This extraction allows the procedure to be performed orally without requiring invasive endoscopic insertion, thereby reducing both invasiveness and cost while preserving the ability to collect samples or deliver drugs at target locations.

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of device delivery from transoral/transanal catheter insertion to oral ingestion of capsules. This parameter change enables the device to naturally navigate through the entire GI tract including deep small intestine sections, achieving greater accessibility without increasing invasiveness. The capsules passively follow GI motility patterns to reach target locations.

The patent utilizes the dynamic nature of GI tract motility to transport capsules through deep sections of the small intestine. Rather than requiring active propulsion or invasive insertion, the capsules are carried along by natural peristalsis and other GI movements, enabling access to remote locations while maintaining a non-invasive approach.

The patent incorporates preliminary actions into the capsule design, including pre-positioned sealing means that activate upon contact with GI fluids, and pre-loaded reservoirs with controlled release mechanisms. These preliminary preparations ensure that sampling or drug delivery occurs reliably at the appropriate location and time, rather than depending solely on passive gravitational or peristaltic forces.

The patent implements feedback mechanisms through pH-sensitive or time-delayed actuation systems that detect when the capsule has reached the target location in the GI tract. This feedback triggers the opening of seals or release of drugs at the appropriate moment, ensuring reliable sample collection or drug delivery regardless of variations in GI motility or gravitational forces.

The patent uses sealing means as intermediaries between the sample collection chamber and the GI tract environment. These seals remain closed during transit and only open when sampling is required, acting as a protective barrier that prevents contamination of the collected sample while still allowing sample acquisition when needed. The seals can be opened in a controlled manner to minimize exposure to contaminants.

The patent employs preliminary sealing of the sample collection chamber before the capsule enters the GI tract. This preliminary action ensures that the chamber remains sterile and protected from contamination during the entire transit period, and the seal is only opened at the precise moment when sampling is required, minimizing the window of vulnerability to contamination.