Electrically-driven vaginal speculum capable of expanding uniformly

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of medical devices, and particularly relates to an electrically-driven vaginal speculum capable of expanding uniformly. The device comprises an insertion mechanism which is a cylindrical body formed by a supporting rod, an elastic inner membrane and a permeable outer membrane and is used for circulating and permeating lubricating liquid; the driving mechanism comprises a shell, a propelling cylinder, a stepping motor, a crank connecting rod, a sliding block, a sliding rail and the like and is used for controlling the insertion mechanism to radially and uniformly expand and contract; the temperature control mechanism comprises an annular metal pipe, a temperature sensor, a heating element and the like and is used for regulating and controlling the temperature of the lubricating liquid in the annular metal pipe to enable the temperature of the lubricating liquid to be matched with the human body temperature; the illumination mechanism is fixed to the outer side of the shell of the driving mechanism and used for illuminating the cervical opening and the vaginal wall. The vagina can be radially and uniformly opened, and discomfort of a patient is reduced; the distraction degree can be adjusted to adapt to vagina sizes of different patients; lubricating liquid is provided in the operation process, so that friction and pain are reduced; the temperature of the lubricating liquid is maintained near body temperature, and stimulation response of low temperature to patients is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of medical devices, and in particular relates to a vaginal speculum. Background Art

[0002] Vaginal speculum is a commonly used medical device in gynecological clinical examinations, primarily used to observe the vagina and cervix. While currently available vaginal speculums meet the needs of clinical examinations to a certain extent, they still have some shortcomings, including: 1. Comfort: Existing vaginal speculums are often made of metal or rigid plastic, have a large diameter, and lack lubrication. This can cause discomfort or pain during insertion and use, especially for sensitive patients or those undergoing a gynecological examination for the first time, who may feel nervous and fearful. 2. Inconvenient operation: Existing vaginal speculums often have a duckbill-style opening and closing structure that cannot adjust the opening and closing angle automatically. The opening and closing process is often manual and mechanical, which can cause lag or instability, hindering the smooth conduct of the examination. 3. Field of view limitations: Traditional vaginal speculums have limitations in providing a visual field and often require lighting equipment. 4. Inability to meet individual needs: Vaginal morphology and size vary among patients, but existing vaginal speculums are often standardized, making it difficult to meet individual patient needs. Traditional speculums may not be suitable for specific patient groups, such as pregnant women, postpartum women, or those with special conditions such as vaginal stenosis. These deficiencies are precisely the problems that the present invention aims to overcome or solve, and aims to provide a vaginal speculum that is more comfortable, convenient, safe, and can meet the personalized needs of patients. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide an electrically driven vaginal speculum which has good human body comfort, high inspection efficiency and accuracy, and can be expanded evenly.

[0004] The electrically driven vaginal speculum provided by the present invention can be uniformly expanded. Figure 1 As shown, the insertion mechanism 11, the driving mechanism 12, the temperature control mechanism, and the lighting mechanism 14; wherein: The insertion mechanism 11 has a specific structure as follows Figure 2 As shown, it comprises support rods 21, an elastic silicone inner membrane 22, and an elastic permeable outer membrane 23. Several support rods (typically 5-12) are evenly spaced between the inner and outer membranes to form a cylindrical structure. A hollow cavity is defined between the inner and outer membranes for the infusion of lubricating fluid. The metal support rods 21 are hollow, allowing for the infusion of lubricating fluid. Microporous structures are designed on both sides between the inner and outer membranes (i.e., within the hollow cavity) and on the side facing the outer membrane (i.e., the side in close contact with the outer membrane), allowing the lubricating fluid to circulate within the cavity. The outer membrane allows the lubricating fluid to seep out of the cavity, reducing friction during insertion.

[0005] The support rod 21 can be made of medical stainless steel or nickel-titanium alloy, the outer diameter of the support rod can be 1-2 mm, and the elastic outer membrane material can be polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or polyurethane (TPU).

[0006] The driving mechanism 12 has a structure as follows Figure 3 As shown, 3a is a sagittal section, 3b, 3c, and 3d are coronal sections, including a housing, a propulsion cylinder 31 located inside the housing, a stepper motor 32 with a gear, a crank connecting rod 33, a slider 34, a slide rail 35, an annular metal tube 36, and a lubricating liquid injection port 15 located in the housing; the stepper motor 32 is fixed to the inner side of the drive mechanism housing, and the rotating shaft of the crank connecting rod 33 is also fixed to the inner side of the housing (as shown in FIG. Figure 3 c). The outer circumference of the propulsion cylinder 31 is toothed, meshing with the gears of the stepper motor 32. The crank connecting rod 33, slider 34, and slide rail 35 match each other, and their number matches the number of support rods 21. The slide rail 35 is evenly arranged between the annular metal tube 36 and the propulsion cylinder 31, with one end fixed to the inside of the drive mechanism housing and the other end sealed to prevent the slider from falling out. Grooves are provided on the outer wall of the propulsion cylinder 31 at positions corresponding to the slide rails, and each slider 34 also has a groove. The ends of the crank connecting rod 33 are respectively located in the grooves of the propulsion cylinder 31 and the grooves of the slider 34. The end of each support rod of the insertion mechanism 11 is fixedly connected to the corresponding slider 34, which is confined within the slide rail 35 and can slide along the slide rail. One end of the slide rail 35 is fixed to the inside of the housing, and the other end is sealed to prevent the slider from falling out. In operation, the stepper motor 32 rotates, driving the propulsion cylinder 31 axially. This in turn causes the crank connecting rod 33 to rotate about its respective axes, driving the slider 34 to slide radially along the guide rail 35, achieving uniform radial expansion and contraction of the insertion mechanism 11. An annular metal tube 36 is also fixed to the inside of the drive mechanism housing; it communicates with the lubricant injection port 15, allowing lubricant to be injected into it through the port.

[0007] The insertion mechanism has an initial outer diameter of 8-10mm. During operation, lubricant is first injected through the injection port until it seeps out from the insertion mechanism's support rods and permeable membrane, facilitating vaginal insertion. The support rods are then driven to expand evenly radially, dilating the vagina to the desired size. The insertion mechanism can achieve a maximum outer diameter of 40-50mm. During this operation, the lubricant cavity within the insertion mechanism is pressurized, causing continuous lubrication to ensure continuous lubrication. The lubricant can be a water-based lubricant (a mixture of water, glycerin, and polyethylene glycol).

[0008] The temperature control mechanism has a structure as follows Figure 4As shown, the device comprises an annular metal tube 36, a flexible connecting tube 41, a temperature sensor 42, and a heating element 43. The number of flexible connecting tubes 41 is the same as the number of support rods. One end of each flexible connecting tube 41 is evenly connected to the annular metal tube 36, and the other end is connected to each support rod in the insertion mechanism. The annular metal tube 36 is also provided with a lubricating liquid injection port 15 for injecting lubricating liquid into the device. A heating element 43 and a temperature sensor 42 are respectively provided on the annular metal tube 36. The heating element 43 is used to heat the lubricating liquid in the annular metal tube to match the temperature of the human body. The temperature sensor 42 is used to monitor the lubricating liquid temperature in real time, thereby adjusting the heating power of the heating element 43. After the lubricating liquid is injected through the injection port and heated in the annular metal tube, it flows through the flexible connecting tube to the support rods of the insertion mechanism, and finally seeps out along the permeable outer membrane, lubricating the vagina while preventing irritation reactions caused by lower temperatures in the patient.

[0009] The illumination mechanism 14 is fixed to the outside of the drive mechanism housing and evenly distributed between the slots where the insertion mechanism support rods are located. The luminous surface faces the cervical os and illuminates the cervical os and vaginal wall when powered. Specifically, it uses a brightness-adjustable LED light source to provide a clear view during the examination.

[0010] The present invention also includes a handle and a control mechanism, such as Figure 5 As shown, the control mechanism is integrated into the handle of the device and includes a display screen 51 disposed on the handle, as well as a drive control module, a light source control module, a temperature control module, and a power control module disposed within the handle. The drive control module, light source control module, temperature control module, and power control module are disposed within the handle, and correspondingly, the handle is provided with control keys 52 for the drive control module, 53 for the light source control module, 54 for the temperature control module, and 55 for the power control module. Display screen 51 is used to display the current expansion diameter of the insertion mechanism, lubricant temperature, light source brightness, and system power parameters. The drive control module is used to control the drive mechanism to expand or contract the insertion mechanism. The light source control module is used to control the LED light source on and off and adjust its brightness. The temperature control module is used to control the heating function on and off and set a constant temperature. The power control module is used to control the system power on and off. The power supply can be a rechargeable lithium battery.

[0011] The present invention relates to the above-mentioned drive control module, light source control module, temperature control module, and power supply control module, which are all conventional control circuits and can be easily constructed by those skilled in the art.

[0012] The device of the present invention is provided with an opening 61 between the two support rods of the lubricating liquid cavity of the insertion mechanism. Figure 6 As shown, it is convenient to obtain samples from the vaginal wall.

[0013] The specific control process of the present invention is as follows: Turn on the power supply and the device enters the power-on state; set a constant temperature (such as 37°C); Inject an appropriate amount of lubricating liquid into the annular metal tube through the lubricating liquid injection port; Turn on the heating function, wait until the lubricant is heated to the set temperature, then continue to slowly inject the lubricant until the lubricant seeps evenly on the outer surface of the insertion mechanism, and then close the injection port; Holding the handle, slowly insert the insertion mechanism into the vagina. The drive control module controls the stepper motor to push the cylinder axially forward, driving the crank connecting rod to rotate around the axis. The crank connecting rod drives the slider to slide radially along the slide rail, thereby driving the insertion mechanism support rod to expand radially. During the expansion process, the elastic inner and outer membranes of the insertion mechanism will gradually stretch, and lubricating fluid will continue to seep out to ensure adequate lubrication. After the support rod is expanded to a sufficient size (the target size can be pre-set or adjusted according to the patient's subjective feeling), the lighting mechanism is turned on, the brightness of the light source is adjusted, and the inspection and sampling are completed; Turn off the lighting mechanism, control the stepper motor through the drive control module to drive the propulsion cylinder backward, thereby driving the support rod to shrink to a smaller size, pull it out of the vagina, turn off the heating function, and turn off the power.

[0014] Inject saline solution from the injection port to clean the tube and the inside of the cavity. When the battery is low, the display will prompt you to charge the battery.

[0015] Stretch the vagina evenly in radial direction to reduce patient discomfort; Adaptive electric adjustment of the opening degree to suit the vaginal size of different patients; Continuously provide lubrication during operation to reduce friction and pain; Maintain the lubricating fluid temperature constant near body temperature to reduce the patient's irritation to low temperature; Equipped with an adjustable brightness light source to provide a clear field of view for inspection.

[0016] The present invention solves the problems of uneven expansion and uncontrollable expansion angle of traditional duckbill forceps vaginal speculum; adaptively adjusts the expansion diameter to meet the inspection of vaginas of different sizes; and provides lubricating fluid to reduce discomfort or pain caused by friction with the inner wall during insertion and inspection. The lubricating fluid is heated by a constant temperature system to maintain a constant temperature at human body, further improving human comfort; and an integrated lighting system provides a clear observation field of view, thereby improving inspection efficiency and accuracy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the appearance and structure of a vaginal speculum.

[0018] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the insertion mechanism.

[0019] Figure 3 Sagittal and coronal cross-sections of the driving mechanism.

[0020] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the lubricating fluid filling and constant temperature system.

[0021] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the system control module.

[0022] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the insertion mechanism.

[0023] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the coupling between the slider and the slide rail.

[0024] Numbers in the figure: 11 is an insertion mechanism, 12 is a driving mechanism, 13 is a hand-held and control mechanism, 14 is a lighting mechanism, 15 is a lubricating liquid injection port, 21 is a support rod, 22 is an elastic silicone inner membrane, 23 is an elastic permeable outer membrane, 31 is a propulsion cylinder, 32 is a stepping motor with gears, 33 is a crank connecting rod, 34 is a slider, 35 is a slide rail, 36 is an annular metal tube, 41 is a flexible connecting tube, 42 is a temperature sensor, 43 is a heating element, 51 is a display screen, 52 is a driving control module, 53 is a light source control module, 54 is a temperature control module, 55 is a power control module, and 61 is an opening. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The present invention is further described below through specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example

[0026] The insertion mechanism can be 10-15 cm in length.

[0027] The length ratio of the long handle and short handle of the crank connecting rod can be 1.5:1, 2:1, 2.5:1, etc. In this way, when the propulsion cylinder advances 1mm, the radial expansion of the support rod is approximately 1.5mm, 2mm, and 2.5mm. Different expansion accuracies can be achieved through different length-short handle ratios.

[0028] The inner diameter of the propulsion cylinder can be 2-5 cm, which serves as an observation and material collection operation port.

[0029] like Figure 6 FIG. 1 is another embodiment of the insertion mechanism. The lubricating fluid cavity between the support rods is provided with an opening to facilitate sampling of the vaginal wall.

[0030] like Figure 7 As shown, the slider and the slide rail are coupled to each other via a wedge-shaped structure, but other coupling forms are possible.

[0031] The aforementioned embodiments show that the number of circular symmetry is 8 (including support rods, sliders, slide rails, and crank connecting rods), and the number of stepper motors and lighting mechanisms can be smaller, such as 2-6.

Claims

1. An electrically driven vaginal speculum capable of uniform expansion, characterized in that: Its structure includes an insertion mechanism, a driving mechanism, a temperature control mechanism, and a lighting mechanism; wherein: The insertion mechanism comprises support rods, an elastic silicone inner membrane, and an elastic permeable outer membrane; there are 5-12 support rods, which are evenly wrapped between the inner membrane and the outer membrane to form a cylindrical body; a hollow cavity is formed between the inner membrane and the outer membrane for perfusing lubricating fluid; microporous structures are designed on both sides of the support rods in the hollow cavity and on the side facing the outer membrane, respectively, to allow the lubricating fluid to circulate in the cavity, and the outer membrane allows the lubricating fluid to seep out of the cavity; The driving mechanism includes a shell, a propulsion cylinder located inside the shell, a stepping motor with a gear, a crank connecting rod, a slider, a slide rail, an annular metal tube, and a lubricating liquid injection port located in the shell; the stepping motor is fixed to the inner side of the driving mechanism shell, and the rotating shaft of the crank connecting rod is also fixed to the inner side of the shell; the outer circumference of the propulsion cylinder is provided with a tooth pattern, which meshes with the stepping motor gear; the crank connecting rod, the slider, and the slide rail match each other, and their number is consistent with the number of support rods; the slide rail is evenly arranged between the annular metal tube and the propulsion cylinder, one end of which is fixed to the inner side of the driving mechanism shell, and the other end is closed to prevent the slider from falling out; grooves are provided at the corresponding positions of the outer wall of the propulsion cylinder and the slide rail, and each The slider is also provided with a groove; the two ends of the crank connecting rod are respectively located in the groove of the propulsion cylinder and the groove of the slider; the end of each support rod of the insertion mechanism is fixedly connected to the corresponding slider, and the slider is limited in the slide rail and can slide along the slide rail; one end of the slide rail is fixed to the inner side of the shell, and the other end is closed to prevent the slider from falling out; in the working state, the stepper motor rotates to drive the propulsion cylinder to move axially, thereby causing the crank connecting rod to rotate around its respective rotation axis and drive the slider to slide radially along the slide rail, realizing uniform radial expansion and contraction of the insertion mechanism; the annular metal tube is also fixed to the inner side of the driving mechanism shell; the annular metal tube is connected to the lubricating liquid injection port, and the lubricating liquid can be injected into it through the injection port; The temperature control mechanism comprises an annular metal tube, a flexible connecting tube, a temperature sensor, and a heating element; wherein the number of the flexible connecting tubes is the same as the number of the support rods, one end of the flexible connecting tube is evenly connected to the annular metal tube, and the other end is connected to the support rods in the insertion mechanism; the heating element and the temperature sensor are respectively arranged on the annular metal tube, and the heating element is used to heat the lubricating fluid in the annular metal tube to match the temperature of the lubricating fluid with the human body temperature; the temperature sensor is used to monitor the temperature of the lubricating fluid in real time, thereby adjusting the heating power of the heating element; The lighting mechanism is fixed to the outside of the driving mechanism housing and is evenly distributed between the slide grooves where the support rods of the insertion mechanism are located. The luminous surface faces the cervical opening and can illuminate the cervical opening and the vaginal wall after power is turned on.

2. The electrically driven vaginal speculum capable of uniform expansion according to claim 1, wherein: It also includes a handle and a control mechanism, which is integrated in the handle of the device. The control mechanism includes a display screen arranged on the handle, and a drive control module, a light source control module, a temperature control module, and a power control module arranged in the handle; the drive control module, the light source control module, the temperature control module, and the power control module are arranged in the handle, and accordingly, the handle is respectively provided with control keys of the drive control module, control keys of the light source control module, control keys of the temperature control module, and control keys of the power control module; the display screen is used to display the current expansion diameter of the insertion mechanism, the temperature of the lubricating fluid, the brightness of the light source, and the system power parameters; the drive control module is used to control the drive mechanism to expand or contract the insertion mechanism; the light source control module is used to control the light source switch and adjust the brightness; the temperature control module can control the heating function switch and set a constant temperature; the power control module is used to control the system power on and off.

3. The electrically driven vaginal speculum capable of uniform expansion according to claim 1, wherein: The support rod is made of medical stainless steel or nickel-titanium alloy, and the outer diameter of the support rod is 1-2 mm; the elastic outer membrane material is polydimethylsiloxane or polyurethane.

4. The electrically driven vaginal speculum capable of uniform expansion according to claim 1, wherein: The light source of the lighting mechanism adopts a brightness-adjustable LED light source.

5. The electrically driven vaginal speculum capable of uniform expansion according to claim 1, wherein: The outer diameter of the insertion mechanism in the initial state is 8-10 mm, and the maximum expanded outer diameter is 40-50 mm.

6. The electrically driven vaginal speculum capable of uniform expansion according to claim 1, wherein: The lubricating liquid is a water-based lubricating liquid, specifically a mixture of water, glycerol and polyethylene glycol.

7. The electrically driven vaginal speculum capable of uniform expansion according to claim 1, wherein: An opening is provided between the two support rods of the lubricating fluid cavity of the insertion mechanism for sampling the vaginal wall.

8. The electrically driven vaginal speculum capable of uniform expansion according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The specific control process is as follows: Turn on the power supply and the device enters the power-on state; set a constant temperature; Inject an appropriate amount of lubricating liquid into the annular metal tube through the lubricating liquid injection port; Turn on the heating function, wait until the lubricant is heated to the set temperature, then continue to slowly inject the lubricant until the lubricant seeps evenly on the outer surface of the insertion mechanism, and then close the injection port; Holding the handle, slowly insert the insertion mechanism into the vagina. The drive control module controls the stepper motor to push the cylinder axially forward, driving the crank connecting rod to rotate around the axis. The crank connecting rod drives the slider to slide radially along the slide rail, thereby driving the insertion mechanism support rod to expand radially. During the expansion process, the inner and outer membranes of the insertion mechanism are gradually stretched, and lubricating fluid continues to seep out to ensure adequate lubrication. After the support rod is expanded to a sufficient size, turn on the lighting mechanism, adjust the brightness of the light source, and complete the inspection and sampling; Turn off the lighting mechanism, control the stepper motor through the drive control module to drive the propulsion cylinder backward, thereby driving the support rod to shrink to a smaller size, pull it out of the vagina, turn off the heating function, and turn off the power.

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