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US 11,986,173 B2Granted
Ingestible device with propulsion capabilities
AssigneeEndiatx, Inc.
InventorsDaniel V. Moyer, Torrey P. Smith, James G. Erd, Daniel A. Luebke, Kian L. Tuma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Introduced here is an ingestible device comprising a capsule having a central axis therethrough, at least one propulsion component, and at least one motor configured to supply motive power to the propulsion component(s). The propulsion component(s) may be disposed at locations radially offset from the central axis. Upon receiving input indicative of a request to alter a position and/or an orientation of the ingestible device, the motor(s) can supply motive power to some or all of the propulsion component(s) to cause movement of the ingestible device.
Claims26
An ingestible device comprising:
- a capsule having a central axis defined therethrough, wherein the capsule is sized so as to be ingestible by a human;
- a plurality of rotors that are spaced radially about the central axis,
- wherein each rotor of the plurality of rotors is located in a different channel defined through the capsule,
- wherein each channel includes
- an inlet through which fluid is drawn by a corresponding rotor,
- an outlet through which the fluid is discharged by the corresponding rotor;
- and
- a plurality of sets of stator vanes, each set of stator vanes located adjacent to a corresponding rotor of the plurality of rotors in a dimension parallel to the central axis, each set of stator vanes including a plurality of fixed stator vanes to align a direction of fluid flow produced by the corresponding rotor;
- and
- a plurality of motors, each of the motors coupled to drive rotatably a separate one of the plurality of rotors, each motor of the plurality of motors including
- a motor housing;
- a rotatable shaft disposed at least partially within an interior of the motor housing and coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of rotors;
- a seal disposed between and in contact with the rotatable shaft and the motor housing, the seal having an aperture through which the rotatable shaft is rotatably disposed, wherein the seal is configured to prevent fluid from outside the capsule from entering the interior of the motor housing;
- and
- a main seal body hermetically coupled to the motor housing, wherein the seal is potted within the main seal body.
12 more elements
An ingestible device comprising:
- an elongate structural body having a central axis therethrough;
- a first pair of propulsors disposed at locations radially offset from the central axis and at different angular offsets about the central axis;
- at least one motor configured to supply motive power to the first pair of propulsors to propel the elongate structural body through a fluid within a living body;
- and
- a plurality of sets of stator vanes, each set of stator vanes located adjacent to a corresponding propulsor of the plurality of propulsors in a dimension parallel to the central axis, each set of stator vanes including a plurality of fixed stator vanes to align a direction of fluid flow produced by the corresponding propulsors;
- and
- the at least one motor including
- a motor housing;
- a rotatable shaft disposed at least partially within an interior of the motor housing and coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of propulsors;
- a seal disposed between and in contact with the rotatable shaft and the motor housing, the seal having an aperture through which the rotatable shaft is rotatably disposed, wherein the seal is configured to prevent fluid from outside the structural body from entering the interior of the motor housing;
- and
- a main seal body hermetically coupled to the motor housing, wherein the seal is potted within the main seal body.
9 more elements
An ingestible device comprising:
- a housing having a central axis therethrough and sized so as to be ingestible by a human;
- a camera disposed within the housing and arranged to capture images of an internal feature of a body of the human when the ingestible device is in operation;
- a transmitter disposed within the housing to transmit wirelessly the images captured by the camera to a location outside the body of the human when the ingestible device is in operation;
- a plurality of propulsors spaced radially about the central axis to propel the ingestible device through a fluid within the body of the human when the ingestible device is in operation;
- a plurality of motors, each motor of the plurality of motors including
- a motor housing;
- a rotatable shaft disposed at least partially within an interior of the motor housing and coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of propulsors;
- a seal disposed between and in contact with the rotatable shaft and the motor housing, the seal having an aperture through which the rotatable shaft is rotatably disposed, wherein the seal is configured to prevent fluid from outside the motor housing from entering the interior of the motor housing;
- and
- a main seal body hermetically coupled to the motor housing, wherein the seal is potted within the main seal body;
- and
- a control circuit to control operation of the plurality of motors in accordance with inputs from a human operator when the ingestible device is in operation.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.