Capsule Endoscope Asymmetric Mass Distribution for Posture Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional capsule endoscopes cannot maintain a stable posture or move effectively along the flow of liquid in a body cavity, leading to unstable observation and medical practices.
Innovation Solution
A capsule medical device with a capsule housing having a protruded portion that balances buoyant and gravitational moments, allowing for stable point contact with the body cavity wall, combined with a fluid resistance fin for movement and an imaging system for observation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the capsule endoscope is made to float in the liquid by setting the specific gravity to be the same as the liquid or water, then the capsule endoscope can advance speedily in the body cavity to the large intestine and ensure a field of view for observation, but the capsule endoscope cannot move or stop along the flow of the liquid and the posture becomes unstable
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule endoscope employs asymmetric mass distribution by positioning the weight adjustment member (battery) off-center within the capsule housing. This creates an intentional imbalance between the center of gravity and center of buoyancy, generating a stabilizing moment that enables the capsule to maintain a desired inclined posture while floating in the liquid flow, thus resolving the posture stability issue without sacrificing advancement speed
2Loss of information
If the capsule endoscope sticks to a wall surface of the body cavity, then only the proximity can be observed, but if the capsule endoscope floats in the liquid, then everything can be observed, however the capsule cannot move or stop along the flow
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule endoscope implements dynamic control of its floating behavior through an adjustable weight mechanism. The weight adjustment member can be repositioned along the longitudinal axis to change the center of gravity position, thereby dynamically adjusting the balance between gravity and buoyancy forces. This enables the capsule to move along the liquid flow, stop at desired locations, and maintain stable posture simultaneously, achieving both comprehensive observation and movement control
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables stable movement and observation along the liquid flow, improving mobility and observability within the body cavity by maintaining a desired posture and receiving fluid resistance for easy navigation.
Implementation Method 1
specific gravity of the capsule medical apparatus is a proximity value of specific gravity of the fluid
Implementation Method 2
gravitational moment produced by gravity acting on the center of gravity
Implementation Method 3
a point where buoyant moment produced by buoyancy acting on the center of buoyancy and gravitational moment produced by gravity acting on the center of gravity are substantially balanced
Data Source
AI summary
A capsule medical apparatus includes a capsule housing 3 having a protruded portion on a long axis at one end. The protruded portion is on a straight line lvm connecting a center of buoyancy Pv and a center of gravity Pm when the capsule housing is in liquid 7 in a body cavity, and the protruded portion is formed so that at least one straight line is present which passes a point Pf at which buoyant moment produced by buoyancy acting on the center of buoyancy Pv and gravitational moment produced by gravity acting on the center of gravity Pm are balanced and which intersects perpendicularly with an outer surface of the protruded portion. The inclined posture allows the capsule housing to receive a large fluid resistance against the liquid 7. Moreover, the capsule endoscope 1 can easily move along the flow of the liquid 7 because the capsule endoscope 1 is in the point contact state with the inner wall surface 2a.