Sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine

Abstract

The invention discloses a sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine, and relates to the technical field of sperm sampling. A connecting cylinder; a sampling cylinder; the piston head is in sliding fit with the flow guide hole of the sampling barrel; the piston assembly is in sliding fit with the main cylinder; the mounting cylinder cover is mounted on the holding part of the main cylinder body; the air pump is connected to the mounting cylinder cover and communicates with the interior of the main cylinder body; during sperm sampling, the air pump inflates the main cylinder body and drives the piston assembly to abut against the limiting assembly, meanwhile, the piston head synchronously moves to the position close to the inlet end of the flow guide hole, then the air pump extracts air in the main cylinder body, negative pressure is formed, the piston assembly reversely moves to the position of the installation cylinder cover, and the piston head synchronously and reversely moves into the flow guide hole; and the sperms are adsorbed into the sampling barrel body from the inlet end of the flow guide hole. The sealing performance is good.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of sperm sampling technology, and more specifically to a sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of reproductive medicine, sperm sampling is a core component of assisted reproductive technology and male fertility assessment. The precision, aseptic technique, and sample integrity of the procedure directly impact the success rate of subsequent testing or treatment. Especially with the increasing number of trace or rare sperm samples in clinical practice (such as sperm obtained through epididymal or testicular aspiration), achieving precise, non-invasive, and quantitative sampling of these precious samples while ensuring aseptic technique throughout the process presents a significant challenge. However, traditional devices often use a single rubber ring seal at the connection points, such as the junction between the main cylinder and the sampling cylinder. Repeated use can lead to seal failure, resulting in gas leakage and affecting the efficiency of the pneumatic drive. Furthermore, existing manual or simple mechanical sampling methods often struggle to precisely control the aspiration speed and pressure, easily causing irreversible physical damage to the sperm sample (such as shearing force, impact force, or bubble effect), thereby reducing sperm motility, DNA integrity, and even affecting the success rate of subsequent in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). At the same time, there is a general lack of precise volume control for trace samples, which makes it difficult to meet the strict uniformity of sample size required for clinical sperm counting, morphological analysis, and scientific research experiments.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to improve the existing device by addressing its shortcomings. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a sperm sampling device that can achieve precise, non-destructive, and strictly sterile sampling of trace sperm samples, thereby avoiding the technical problems in the prior art where manual operation can easily cause damage to sperm activity, failure of the connection seal, and difficulty in accurately quantifying trace samples.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine, comprising: A main cylinder, wherein a limiting component is provided inside the main cylinder; A connecting cylinder, wherein the connecting part of the connecting cylinder is connected to the main cylinder; A sampling cylinder body, wherein the sampling cylinder body is internally connected to the guide portion of the connecting cylinder body; A piston head, wherein the piston head is slidably engaged with the guide hole of the sampling cylinder; A piston assembly, wherein the piston assembly is slidably engaged with the main cylinder; A mounting cap is installed on the gripping part of the main cylinder; An air pump is connected to the mounting cap and communicates with the interior of the main cylinder. During sperm sampling, the air pump inflates the main cylinder, driving the piston assembly to press against the limiting assembly. Simultaneously, the piston head moves to the vicinity of the inlet end of the guide hole. Then, the air pump draws gas from the main cylinder, creating a negative pressure that causes the piston assembly to move in the opposite direction to the mounting cap. This causes the piston head to move in the opposite direction to the inside of the guide hole, drawing sperm from the inlet end of the guide hole into the sampling cylinder.

[0006] Furthermore, the piston assembly includes: A piston body is provided, which is slidably engaged with the inner hole of the main cylinder. A limiting body is installed at the right end of the piston body, and the limiting body is slidably engaged with the sliding hole of the mounting cylinder cover. A bumper block is installed at the left end of the piston body and is capable of pressing against the limiting assembly.

[0007] Furthermore, the limiting component includes: A mounting plate is installed on the annular shoulder of the main cylinder, and the mounting plate has several through holes; A limiting block is installed in the middle of the mounting plate, and the anti-collision block of the piston assembly can press against the limiting block.

[0008] Furthermore, the limiting block is detachably connected to the mounting plate.

[0009] Furthermore, a connecting post is installed on the piston head, and a pair of pressing components are provided at the end of the connecting post away from the piston head. The pair of pressing components can press against the limiting block of the limiting component.

[0010] Furthermore, the pressure-absorbing component includes: A mounting base made of thermoplastic polyurethane is fixedly connected to the end of the connecting column; A buffer ball is fixed to the end of the fixed base and can press against the limiting block.

[0011] Furthermore, a sealing assembly is provided between the head cylinder of the main cylinder and the connecting portion, the sealing assembly comprising: A pair of O-rings are provided, wherein the O-rings are fitted into the sealing groove of the head cylinder and the O-rings abut against the inner wall of the first hole of the connecting part; A sealing element is installed in the second hole of the connection portion and presses against the outer wall of the head cylinder.

[0012] Furthermore, the seal includes: A main body portion, which is installed inside the second hole; A convex lip is connected to the inside of the left end of the main body and presses against the outer wall of the head cylinder. A folded lip is provided, which is spaced apart from the convex lip. The folded lip is connected to the inside of the right end of the main body and abuts against the outer wall of the head cylinder.

[0013] Furthermore, a plurality of helical compression springs are provided between the flange of the main body and the main cylinder.

[0014] As can be seen from the above technical solution, the advantages of the present invention are: 1. The system uses an air pump to switch between inflation and deflation modes, controls the displacement of the piston assembly, and automatically completes negative pressure sampling and positive pressure release.

[0015] 2. The cooperation between the anti-collision block and the limiting block of the piston assembly, as well as the rubber buffer ball at the end of the piston head connecting column, effectively prevents overload impact on the piston assembly, extends the service life of the device, and reduces collision noise.

[0016] 3. The combination structure of O-ring seals, convex lip and folded lip composite seals and helical compression springs is adopted to ensure the airtightness of the joint between the main cylinder and the connecting cylinder.

[0017] 4. The sealing structure of the stopper cap further ensures the sterility of the sample during sampling and transfer. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the initial state structure of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the plug cap of the present invention in an open, ready-to-use state.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the state of sperm extraction according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the piston assembly, the main cylinder, and the limiting block when a negative pressure is formed in the sliding hole and the right side of the second air chamber of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 for Figure 3A magnified view of a portion of point B.

[0024] Figure 6 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion at point A.

[0025] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified view of a portion of point C.

[0026] Figure 8 for Figure 6 A magnified view of a portion of point D.

[0027] Figure 9 This is the front view of the grip section.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1-Main cylinder; 11-First air chamber; 12-Second air chamber; 121-Annular shoulder; 15-Groove; 16-Flange; 17-Head cylinder; 171-Sealing groove; 18-Mounting cap; 181-Sliding hole; 19-Grip part; 191-Anti-slip texture; 2-Connecting cylinder; 21-Guide part; 22-Connecting part; 221-First hole; 222-Second hole; 3-Plug cap; 31-Hand grip part; 4-Sampling cylinder; 41-Flow guide hole; 5-Piston assembly; 51-Piston body; 52 - Limiting body; 53 - Anti-collision block; 58 - Mounting plate; 581 - Through hole; 582 - Limiting block; 61 - Piston head; 62 - Connecting column; 63 - Pressing assembly; 631 - Fixing seat; 632 - Buffer ball; 7 - Sealing assembly; 71 - O-ring seal; 72 - Helical compression spring; 73 - Seal; 731 - Main body; 732 - Protruding lip; 733 - Folded lip; 8 - Air pump; 81 - Air supply pipe; 82 - Pipe connector; 9 - First sealing gasket; 91 - Second sealing gasket; 92 - Rubber gasket. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings. Here, the illustrative embodiments and descriptions of this invention are used to explain the invention, but are not intended to limit the invention.

[0030] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings: refer to Figures 1 to 9 ,like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, this invention provides a sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine. The device mainly consists of a main cylinder 1, a connecting cylinder 2, a sampling cylinder 4, a piston head 61, a piston assembly 5, a mounting cap 18, and an air pump 8. Its working principle is based on the inflation and deflation operations of the air pump 8. The movement of the piston assembly 5 and the piston head 61 is driven by changes in air pressure, achieving automatic sperm sampling. This effectively avoids the problems of sperm motility damage and connection seal failure that are easily caused by manual operation in existing technologies.

[0031] The main cylinder 1 serves as the main structure of the entire device and has a limiting component inside. A sealing component 7 is provided between the head cylinder 17 of the main cylinder 1 and the connecting part 22 of the connecting cylinder 2 to ensure airtightness. The gripping part 19 of the main cylinder 1 is used to install the cylinder cover 18.

[0032] The connecting part 22 of the connecting cylinder 2 is connected to the main cylinder 1 by multiple screws. The guide part 21 is connected to the sampling cylinder 4 inside, and the guide part 21 serves as a guide to facilitate the installation of the sampling cylinder 4 inside the guide part 21. The sampling cylinder 4 is provided with guide holes 41 that pass through both ends of it. The guide holes 41 are used for the entry and storage of sperm.

[0033] In one embodiment, the sampling cylinder 4 is fixedly connected to the guide portion 21 of the connecting cylinder 2 by screws. A first sealing gasket 9 is provided between the guide portion 21 and the sampling cylinder 4 to prevent gas leakage. A stopper cap 3 is provided at the inlet of the sampling cylinder 4, and the stopper cap 3 has a handle 31 for easy operation. The sampling cylinder 4 is made of medical-grade transparent polycarbonate (PC). The transparency of polycarbonate (PC) not only facilitates visual observation of the sample by the operator, but more importantly, it allows for precise volume calibration and reading using laser scale lines or optical sensors. The surface of the sampling cylinder 4 that comes into contact with sperm should be bio-inertized to ensure no cytotoxicity and to possess anti-protein adsorption properties, minimizing sperm adhesion loss. Considering the risks of clinical aseptic operation and cross-contamination, the sampling cylinder 4 is preferably designed as a disposable component. The stopper cap 3 is made of medical-grade butyl rubber.

[0034] The piston head 61 is slidably fitted with the guide hole 41 of the sampling cylinder 4. A connecting post 62 is mounted on the piston head 61, and the connecting post 62 is clearance-fitted with the guide hole 41. A pair of pressing components 63 are provided at the end of the connecting post 62 away from the piston head 61. Figure 5As shown, the pressing component 63 includes a fixed base 631 and a buffer ball 632 fixed to the end of the fixed base 631. A pair of pressing components 63 can press against the limiting block 582 of the limiting component. This not only effectively prevents overload impact on the piston head 61 and extends the service life of the device, but also reduces collision noise, demonstrating the advantages of this invention in terms of device durability and user experience. The piston head 61 is made of medical-grade platinum vulcanized silicone. The buffer ball 632 is made of medical-grade polyetheretherketone (PEEK). The fixed base 631 is made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

[0035] The piston assembly 5 is slidably fitted to the main cylinder 1. The piston assembly 5 includes a piston body 51, a limiting body 52, and a bumper block 53 connected together. The piston body 51 is slidably fitted to the inner hole of the main cylinder 1, and the limiting body 52 is installed at its right end. The limiting body 52 is slidably fitted to the sliding hole 181 of the mounting cap 18, which limits the movement range of the piston assembly 5. The bumper block 53 is installed at the left end of the piston body 51 and can press against the limiting assembly to prevent excessive movement of the piston assembly 5 from damaging the device. The bumper block 53 is made of medical-grade polyetheretherketone (PEEK).

[0036] The limiting assembly includes a mounting plate 58 and a limiting block 582. The mounting plate 58 is installed on an annular shoulder 121 inside the main cylinder 1, and has several through holes 581 to ensure gas flow. The limiting block 582 is installed in the middle of the mounting plate 58, and the limiting block 582 is detachably connected to the mounting plate 58 by screws, which facilitates replacement and adjustment according to actual needs. The anti-collision block 53 of the piston assembly 5 can press against the limiting block 582 to restrict the movement of the piston assembly 5.

[0037] like Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 9 As shown, the mounting cap 18 is installed on the grip portion 19 of the main cylinder 1 by screws, and a second sealing gasket 91 is provided between the two. When using the sampling device, the operator holds the grip portion 19, which has anti-slip texture 191 on its outer periphery.

[0038] An air supply pipe 81 is connected to the air pump 8. The air supply pipe 81 is connected to the pipe connector 82 connected to the mounting cover 18 and communicates with the inside of the main cylinder 1. By switching the air pump 8 between inflation and deflation, the displacement of the piston assembly 5 is controlled, and negative pressure sampling and positive pressure release are automatically completed.

[0039] like Figure 1 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, the sealing assembly 7 is disposed between the head cylinder 17 of the main cylinder 1 and the connecting part 22. The sealing assembly 7 includes a pair of O-rings 71, a sealing element 73 and several helical compression springs 72.

[0040] The O-ring 71 is fitted into the sealing groove 171 on the outer periphery of the head cylinder 17 and presses against the inner wall of the first hole 221 of the connecting part 22, thus playing a preliminary sealing role.

[0041] The sealing element 73 is installed in the second hole 222 of the connecting part 22. The sealing element 73 includes a main body 731, a raised lip 732, and a folded lip 733. The main body 731 is installed in the second hole 222. The raised lip 732 is connected to the inside of the left end of the main body 731. The folded lip 733 is spaced apart from the raised lip 732 and connected to the inside of the right end of the main body 731. Both the raised lip 732 and the folded lip 733 press against the outer wall of the head cylinder 17 to form a composite sealing structure, which further enhances the sealing effect. The O-ring 71 and the sealing element 73 are made of medical-grade platinum vulcanized silicone. The contact surfaces of the raised lip 732 and the folded lip 733 are coated with a nano-scale silica coating to reduce friction damage.

[0042] A helical compression spring 72 is disposed between the main body 731 and the flange 16 of the main cylinder 1. The helical compression spring 72 provides preload to the seal 73, ensuring that gas leakage can be effectively prevented even under repeated use and ensuring pneumatic drive efficiency.

[0043] Preferably, the left end of the helical compression spring 72 presses against the right end face of the main body 731, and the right end presses against the inner side wall of the groove 15 of the flange 16.

[0044] Work process: During sperm sampling, the operator holds the grip 19 of the main cylinder 1 with one hand and the grip 31 of the stopper cap 3 with the other, removing the stopper cap 3 from the opening of the sampling cylinder 4. Holding the grip 19 of the main cylinder 1, the operator immerses the opening of the sampling cylinder 4 into the container holding the semen, starts the air pump 8, and inflates the main cylinder 1. As the air pressure increases, it drives the piston assembly 5 to move to the left until it presses against the limiting block 582 of the limiting assembly. At the same time, the piston head 61 moves synchronously to the vicinity of the inlet end of the guide hole 41 under the action of air pressure. At this time, the air pump 8 stops inflating and begins to extract gas from the main cylinder 1, creating negative pressure by evacuating the sliding hole 181 and the right side of the second air chamber 12 through the air supply pipe 81. Under negative pressure, the piston body 51 and the limiting body 52 move to the right under the pressure difference until the right end of the limiting body 52 presses against the rubber pad 92 on the bottom wall of the sliding hole 181. The movement of the piston body 51 causes the air pressure in the left part of the second air chamber 12 and the first air chamber 11 to decrease. The negative pressure drives the piston head 61 and the connecting column 62 to move to the right. The piston head 61 moves into the interior of the guide hole 41, thereby adsorbing sperm from the inlet end of the guide hole 41 into the sampling cylinder 4, completing the sperm sampling process. After a sufficient amount of sperm sample is drawn into the guide hole 41, the air pump 8 is stopped. The opening of the sampling cylinder 4 is removed from the container, and the stopper cap 3 is replaced. The device is then moved to the next station. The stopper cap 3 is removed, and the opening of the guide hole 41 is aligned with the target container. The working state of the air pump 8 is changed, and air is supplied to the sliding hole 181 and the right part of the second air chamber 12 through the air supply pipe 81. The piston body 51 and the limiting body 52 move to the left under air pressure, driving the gas in the first air chamber 11, which in turn causes the piston head 61 and the connecting column 62 to move to the left. The sperm sample flows out from the outlet end of the guide hole 41 and enters the target container.

[0045] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine, characterized in that, include: A main cylinder (1) is provided inside the main cylinder (1); A connecting cylinder (2), wherein the connecting part (22) of the connecting cylinder (2) is connected to the main cylinder (1); A sampling cylinder (4) is connected to the inside of the guide part (21) of the connecting cylinder (2); A piston head (61) is slidably engaged with the guide hole (41) of the sampling cylinder (4); A piston assembly (5) is slidably fitted with the main cylinder (1); A mounting cap (18) is installed on the gripping part (19) of the main cylinder (1). An air pump (8) is connected to the mounting cap (18) and communicates with the interior of the main cylinder (1); During sperm sampling, the air pump (8) inflates the main cylinder (1) with air, driving the piston assembly (5) to press against the limiting assembly. At the same time, the piston head (61) moves synchronously to the vicinity of the inlet end of the guide hole (41). Subsequently, the air pump (8) extracts the gas in the main cylinder (1) to form a negative pressure, causing the piston assembly (5) to move in the opposite direction to the mounting cap (18), and causing the piston head (61) to move synchronously in the opposite direction to the inside of the guide hole (41), thus adsorbing the sperm from the inlet end of the guide hole (41) into the sampling cylinder (4).

2. The sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The piston assembly (5) includes: A piston body (51) is provided, which is slidably engaged with the inner hole of the main cylinder (1). A limiting body (52) is installed at the right end of the piston body (51), and the limiting body (52) is slidably engaged with the sliding hole (181) of the mounting cylinder cover (18). A bumper (53) is installed at the left end of the piston body (51) and the bumper (53) is able to press against the limiting component.

3. The sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting component includes: A mounting plate (58) is mounted on the annular shoulder (121) of the main cylinder (1), and the mounting plate (58) has a plurality of through holes (581). A limiting block (582) is installed in the middle of the mounting plate (58), and the anti-collision block (53) of the piston assembly (5) can press against the limiting block (582).

4. The sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The limiting block (582) is detachably connected to the mounting plate (58).

5. The sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine according to claim 1, characterized in that, A connecting post (62) is installed on the piston head (61). A pair of pressing components (63) are provided at the end of the connecting post (62) away from the piston head (61). The pair of pressing components (63) can press against the limiting block (582) of the limiting component.

6. The sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine according to claim 5, characterized in that, The pressure-absorbing component (63) includes: A mounting base (631) made of thermoplastic polyurethane is fixedly connected to the end of the connecting post (62); A buffer ball (632) is fixed to the end of the fixed base (631) and can press against the limiting block (582).

7. The sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine according to claim 1, characterized in that, A sealing assembly (7) is provided between the head cylinder (17) of the main cylinder (1) and the connecting part (22), the sealing assembly (7) comprising: A pair of O-rings (71) are fitted in the sealing groove (171) of the head cylinder (17) and the O-rings (71) abut against the inner wall of the first hole (221) of the connecting part (22); A sealing element (73) is installed in the second hole (222) of the connecting part (22) and the sealing element (73) abuts against the outer wall of the head cylinder (17).

8. The sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine according to claim 7, characterized in that, The seal (73) includes: A main body (731) is installed inside the second hole (222); A convex lip (732) is connected to the interior of the left end of the main body (731), and the convex lip (732) abuts against the outer wall of the head cylinder (17); A folded lip (733) is provided at a distance from the convex lip (732). The folded lip (733) is connected to the inside of the right end of the main body (731). The folded lip (733) abuts against the outer wall of the head cylinder (17).

9. The sperm sampling device for reproductive medicine according to claim 8, characterized in that, A plurality of helical compression springs (72) are provided between the main body (731) and the flange (16) of the main cylinder (1).

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