Experimental device of POP-Q measurement system based on guide rail structure

Abstract

The utility model provides an experimental device of a POP-Q measuring system based on a guide rail structure, which relates to the technical field of experimental devices and comprises a rack, a three-axis linear motion module, a probe assembly and a control system. The three-axis linear motion module, the probe assembly and the control system are all arranged on the rack; and the control system is electrically connected with the three-axis linear motion module and is used for controlling the three-axis linear motion module to drive the probe assembly to move. According to the utility model, the combination of the hybrid stepping motor and the T-shaped lead screw guide rail is adopted. Compared with a ball screw, the cost of the T-shaped lead screw is lower, the T-shaped lead screw has natural self-locking capacity, the position of the probe can be reliably kept during power failure, the safety redundancy requirement of medical equipment is met, and an additional brake is not needed. The hybrid stepping motor is large in torque and high in positioning precision at a low speed, and the low-speed and precise movement requirements of the system are perfectly met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of experimental devices, and more particularly to an experimental device for a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure. Background Technology

[0002] Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common women's health problem that significantly impacts quality of life. The gold standard for its clinical diagnosis is the POP-Q (Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification) staging system. This system requires precise measurement of the positions of six key anatomical points on the anterior, apex, and posterior vaginal walls relative to the hymenal plane, with millimeter-level accuracy. However, current clinical practice of POP-Q measurement relies entirely on manual manipulation and tactile judgment by physicians, presenting a series of inherent and unresolved technical challenges.

[0003] Manual measurement is highly subjective and lacks standardization and repeatability: the accuracy of POP-Q measurement is heavily dependent on the physician's clinical experience, tactile sensitivity, and technique. Significant differences can occur between different physicians, and even within the same physician at different times. This subjectivity severely impacts the objectivity of disease staging, the precision of treatment planning, and the consistency and comparability of data in academic research. Medical practice urgently needs a tool that can provide objective, quantifiable, and repeatable measurement results to standardize diagnostic criteria.

[0004] Existing high-precision automated medical equipment is ill-suited for POP-Q measurement scenarios: Although high-end medical robots, such as the da Vinci Surgical System, have proven their high precision and stability in many surgical fields, their direct application to POP-Q measurement faces fundamental obstacles. First, these systems are complex in design and extremely expensive (often costing tens of millions of yuan), far exceeding the equipment procurement budgets of most hospital gynecology clinics, making widespread application impossible. Second, they are primarily designed for rigid tissues or surgical procedures that can be performed under visual endoscopy, while POP-Q measurement involves light-contact positioning of flexible tissues within the narrow, non-directly visualized vagina; its workspace, mechanical interaction patterns, and safety requirements are drastically different from existing robotic systems. Finally, these large systems are complex to operate, require specialized training, and are unsuitable for rapid screening and diagnosis processes in outpatient settings.

[0005] Low-cost automation solutions face technical bottlenecks in terms of accuracy, reliability, and safety: Developing low-cost equipment typically involves using stepper motors and standard lead screws. However, this introduces new technical challenges.

[0006] The challenges of reset and positioning in open-loop control: To control costs, systems often employ open-loop control, meaning the motor cannot sense its own position. Ensuring the probe accurately returns to an absolute "mechanical origin" (i.e., reset) after each power-on is the primary challenge for maintaining consistent measurement references. Traditional solutions involve adding physical limit switches, but this not only increases component costs, assembly complexity, and potential points of failure, but also reduces reliability in humid and confined medical environments.

[0007] Error accumulation and trajectory control failure: Under open-loop control, mechanical errors such as motor step loss and lead screw backlash accumulate continuously with motion. For the probe spatial motion required for POP-Q measurement, simple coordinate control causes the actual trajectory of the probe head to deviate significantly from the theoretical straight line, exhibiting an arc shape, making it impossible to accurately reach the target dissection point. How to achieve high-precision spatial linear trajectory control without relying on expensive grating rulers or encoders is a core technological barrier that low-cost solutions must overcome.

[0008] Inadequate safety design: Medical devices must possess fail-safe mechanisms. For example, the system must be able to detect and stop promptly when probe movement is obstructed (locked) to prevent harm to simulated tissue or potential real patients. Low-cost open-loop systems often lack effective real-time load monitoring capabilities, posing a safety risk.

[0009] There is a lack of dedicated electromechanical system designs for anatomical point localization in flexible tissues: existing industrial linear modules or general-purpose robotic platforms are not designed for in vivo anatomical point measurement. They are often bulky and cumbersome, lacking the ability to perform gentle and precise point measurements within the confined space of a simulated pelvic cavity. In particular, how to design the probe's connection structure so that it can move flexibly in multiple degrees of freedom while maintaining the necessary rigidity; how to achieve coordinated motion and accurate coordinate mapping between the probe head (measurement point) and tail (drive point) are all customized problems that need to be solved from scratch.

[0010] In summary, the core technical problem this invention aims to solve is how to overcome the gaps and deficiencies in existing technologies and create an automated POP-Q measurement system that combines "clinical-grade precision," "high reliability," "low cost," and "ease of operation." This system needs to achieve precise automatic reset and spatial positioning within an open-loop control framework, effectively suppress error accumulation, ensure the linearity and repeatability of the probe's trajectory, and possess an inherent safety monitoring mechanism. This will provide an objective, quantitative, and widely applicable technical tool for the diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse.

[0011] Current measurement methods:

[0012] The manual direct measurement method requires the patient to be in the following positions (lithotomy position, supine position, standing position) at the POP-Q stage, and to hold their breath downwards (Valsalva exercise).

[0013] When recording measurements, the specific type of examination bed, speculum, and retraction device used should be included.

[0014] The degree of bladder and rectal fullness should be recorded during measurement.

[0015] The POP-Q staging system has played a positive role in promoting the development and scientific research of gynecologic urology over the past 20 years. However, some shortcomings have also been revealed in its clinical application, such as its complexity, difficulty in mastering it, and long learning curve. Utility Model Content

[0016] As mentioned in the background section, existing manual measurement methods for pelvic organ prolapse (POP-Q) rely heavily on the doctor's clinical experience and manual dexterity, resulting in technical challenges such as high subjectivity, poor repeatability, and inconsistent measurement standards. Furthermore, automated, high-precision medical measurement equipment (such as surgical robots) is prohibitively expensive due to the use of costly servo systems and components, hindering its widespread adoption in primary healthcare institutions. Therefore, this paper proposes an experimental device for a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure.

[0017] The technical means adopted in this utility model are as follows:

[0018] An experimental setup for a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure includes: a frame, a three-axis linear motion module, a probe assembly, and a control system; the three-axis linear motion module, the probe assembly, and the control system are all mounted on the frame; the control system is electrically connected to the three-axis linear motion module and is used to control the three-axis linear motion module to drive the probe assembly to move.

[0019] The three-axis linear motion module includes three mutually orthogonal linear modules: X, Y, and Z; each linear module adopts a T-shaped lead screw guide structure; the probe assembly includes a probe body, a probe connecting mechanism, and a fisheye bearing assembly; the connecting mechanism includes an adapter and a ball joint; the connecting mechanism is used to connect the probe body to the three-axis linear motion module; the fisheye bearing assembly includes a fisheye bearing, a base, and a base connecting rod; the fisheye bearing assembly is used to constrain the rotational degrees of freedom of the probe; the control system includes a main control unit and a motor drive unit; the motor drive unit is equipped with a stepper motor drive chip with sensorless load detection function.

[0020] Furthermore, the three-axis linear motion module includes: T-type lead screw guide rail I, T-type lead screw guide rail II, and T-type lead screw guide rail III; T-type lead screw guide rail I is fixedly connected to T-type lead screw guide rail II by screws through L-type connectors, and T-type lead screw guide rail II is fixedly connected to T-type lead screw guide rail III by screws through square connectors.

[0021] Furthermore, the T-shaped lead screw guide rail I is used to control the probe assembly to move back and forth, the T-shaped lead screw guide rail II is used to control the probe assembly to move up and down, and the T-shaped lead screw guide rail III is used to control the probe assembly to move left and right.

[0022] Furthermore, the probe connection mechanism includes an adapter and a ball joint; the probe body is connected to the three-axis linear motion module in sequence through the adapter and the ball joint.

[0023] Furthermore, the probe body passes through the hole of the fisheye bearing and is connected to the fisheye bearing; the fisheye bearing is connected to the base via a base connecting rod.

[0024] Furthermore, the probe body is equipped with an industrial endoscope and has a USB port for connecting to a computer for image display.

[0025] Furthermore, the control system includes a main control unit and a motor drive unit; the main control unit is electrically connected to the motor drive unit, and the motor drive unit is electrically connected to the drive motor of the three-axis linear motion module.

[0026] Furthermore, the motor drive unit uses a TMC2209 stepper motor driver chip.

[0027] Furthermore, the drive motor is a 42-step motor, which is connected to the control circuit board of the control system via wires to receive control signals from the control system and drive the T-shaped lead screw guide rail to move.

[0028] Furthermore, the T-shaped lead screw guide rail I and the T-shaped lead screw guide rail III are fixed together by L-shaped connecting screws, and the T-shaped lead screw guide rail III and the T-shaped lead screw guide rail II are fixed together by square connecting screws.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0030] This invention employs a combination of a hybrid stepper motor and a T-shaped lead screw guide rail. The T-shaped lead screw is less expensive than a ball screw and possesses inherent self-locking capability, reliably maintaining the probe position even in the event of a power outage, thus meeting the safety redundancy requirements of medical equipment and eliminating the need for an additional brake. The hybrid stepper motor offers high torque and high positioning accuracy at low speeds, perfectly matching the low-speed, precision motion requirements of this system. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model.

[0033] Figure 2 This is a disassembled structural diagram of the three-dimensional guide rail part of this utility model.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the probe part of this utility model.

[0035] The components include: 1. Three-axis linear motion module; 2. Probe assembly; 1.1 T-type lead screw guide rail I; 1.2 T-type lead screw guide rail II; 1.3 T-type lead screw guide rail III; 1.4 Stepper motor; 1.5 Square connecting plate; 1.6 L-shaped connecting plate; 2.1 Probe body; 2.2 Adapter; 2.3 Ball joint; 2.4 Fisheye bearing; 2.5 Base; 2.6 Base connecting rod. Detailed Implementation

[0036] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this utility model can be combined with each other. The present utility model will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0037] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this utility model or its application or use. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0038] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present invention. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0039] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps described in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this invention. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0040] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this utility model. The directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0041] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "over," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation besides the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is inverted, a device described as "above" or "above" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0042] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore cannot be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0043] like Figure 1-3 As shown, this utility model provides an experimental device for a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure, including: a frame, a three-axis linear motion module 1, a probe assembly 2, and a control system; the three-axis linear motion module 1, the probe assembly 2, and the control system are all mounted on the frame; the control system is electrically connected to the three-axis linear motion module 1 and is used to control the three-axis linear motion module 1 to drive the probe assembly 2 to move.

[0044] The three-axis linear motion module 1 includes three mutually orthogonal linear modules: X, Y, and Z; each linear module adopts a T-shaped lead screw guide structure; the probe assembly 2 includes a probe body 2.1, a probe connecting mechanism, and a fisheye bearing assembly; the control system includes a main control unit and a motor drive unit; the motor drive unit is equipped with a stepper motor drive chip with sensorless load detection function. The T-shaped lead screw guide I1.1 and the T-shaped lead screw guide III1.3 are fixed together by L-shaped connecting screws, and the T-shaped lead screw guide III1.3 and the T-shaped lead screw guide II1.2 are fixed together by square connecting screws. The fisheye bearing 2.4 can be considered as providing a fulcrum for the probe, allowing the probe to rotate around or translate through this fulcrum.

[0045] Preferably, in this application, the three-axis linear motion module 1 includes: T-shaped lead screw guide rail I1.1, T-shaped lead screw guide rail II1.2, and T-shaped lead screw guide rail III1.3; T-shaped lead screw guide rail I1.1 is fixedly connected to T-shaped lead screw guide rail II1.2 with screws via L-shaped connector 1.6, and T-shaped lead screw guide rail II1.2 is fixedly connected to T-shaped lead screw guide rail III1.3 with screws via square connector 1.5. T-shaped lead screw guide rail I1.1 is used to control the probe assembly 2 to move back and forth, T-shaped lead screw guide rail II1.2 is used to control the probe assembly 2 to move up and down, and T-shaped lead screw guide rail III1.3 is used to control the probe assembly 2 to move left and right.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the probe connection mechanism in this application includes: an adapter 2.2 and a ball joint 2.3; the probe body 2.1 is connected to the three-axis linear motion module 1 in sequence through the adapter 2.2 and the ball joint 2.3.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, the fisheye bearing assembly in this application includes: a fisheye bearing 2.4, a base 2.5, and a base connecting rod 2.6; the probe body 2.1 passes through the hole of the fisheye bearing 2.4 and is connected to the fisheye bearing 2.4; the fisheye bearing 2.4 is connected to the base 2.5 through the base connecting rod 2.6.

[0048] Preferably, the fisheye bearing 2.4 is used to constrain the rotational degree of freedom of the probe body 2.1, so that the spatial motion of the probe body 2.1 is limited to pure translational motion; the probe body 2.1 is also provided with an industrial endoscope, and the probe body 2.1 is provided with a USB port for connecting to a computer for image display.

[0049] Preferably, the control system includes a main control unit and a motor drive unit; the main control unit is electrically connected to the motor drive unit, and the motor drive unit is electrically connected to the drive motor of the three-axis linear motion module 1. The motor drive unit uses a TMC2209 stepper motor driver chip. The drive motor is a 42-stepper motor, which is connected to the control circuit board of the control system via wires, and is used to receive control signals from the control system and drive the T-shaped lead screw guide rail to move.

[0050] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. An experimental setup for a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure, characterized in that, The utility model relates to a kind of probe three-axis linear motion module, including: Rack, three-axis linear motion module (1), probe assembly (2) and control system;The three-axis linear motion module (1), probe assembly (2) and control system are all arranged on the rack;The control system is electrically connected with three-axis linear motion module, for controlling three-axis linear motion module (1) drive probe assembly (2) movement; The three-axis linear motion module (1) includes: X, Y, Z three mutually orthogonal linear module;Each linear module is using T type screw guide rail structure;The probe assembly (2) includes: probe body (2.1), probe connecting mechanism and fish eye bearing assembly;The connecting mechanism includes: adapter (2.2) and spherical coupling (2.3);The connecting mechanism is used for the connection of probe body (2.1) and three-axis linear motion module (1);The fish eye bearing assembly includes: fish eye bearing (2.4), base (2.5) and base connecting rod (2.6);The fish eye bearing assembly is used to constrain the rotational degree of freedom of probe;The control system includes: main control unit and motor drive unit;The motor drive unit is provided with the stepping motor drive chip of sensorless load detection function.

2. The experimental apparatus of a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The three-axis linear motion module (1) includes: T type screw guide rail I (1.1), T type screw guide rail II (1.2) and T type screw guide rail III (1.3);The T type screw guide rail I (1.1) is screw fixed connection with T type screw guide rail II (1.2) by L type connecting piece (1.6), and the T type screw guide rail II (1.2) is screw fixed connection with T type screw guide rail III (1.3) by square connecting piece (1.5).

3. The experimental apparatus of a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The T type screw guide rail I (1.1) is used to control probe assembly (2) to move forward and backward, the T type screw guide rail II (1.2) is used to control probe assembly (2) to move up and down, and the T type screw guide rail III (1.3) is used to control probe assembly (2) to move left and right.

4. The experimental apparatus of a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure according to claim 1, wherein, The probe connecting mechanism includes: adapter (2.2) and spherical coupling (2.3);The probe body (2.1) is sequentially connected with three-axis linear motion module (1) by adapter (2.2) and spherical coupling (2.3).

5. The experimental apparatus of a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure according to claim 1, wherein, The probe body (2.1) is connected with the fish eye bearing (2.4) by passing through the hole of the fish eye bearing (2.4);The fish eye bearing (2.4) is connected with the base (2.5) by the base connecting rod (2.6).

6. The experimental apparatus of a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure according to claim 1, wherein, The probe body (2.1) is further provided with an industrial endoscope, and a USB jack is arranged on the probe body (2.1) for connecting a computer to display images.

7. The experimental apparatus of a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure according to claim 1, wherein, The control system includes: main control unit and motor drive unit;The main control unit is electrically connected with motor drive unit, and the motor drive unit is electrically connected with the drive motor of three-axis linear motion module (1).

8. The experimental apparatus of a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure according to claim 6, wherein, The motor drive unit adopts TMC2209 stepping motor drive chip.

9. The experimental apparatus of a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure according to claim 7, wherein, The drive motor is a 42-step motor, which is connected with the control circuit board of the control system through wires, for receiving control signals from the control system and driving the T type screw guide rail to move.

10. The experimental apparatus of a POP-Q measurement system based on a guide rail structure according to claim 2, wherein, The T-shaped screw guide rail I (1.1) is fixed with the T-shaped screw guide rail III (1.3) through an L-shaped connecting screw, and the T-shaped screw guide rail III (1.3) is fixed with the T-shaped screw guide rail II (1.2) through a square connecting screw.

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