Self-Administered Cervical Sampler With Rotating Brush Head
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting cervical and vaginal cancer, such as the Pap test, face challenges in early detection due to the difficulty in identifying abnormal cells amidst numerous healthy cells and the need for medical professionals to administer the test, which can lead to underutilization and delayed diagnosis.
Innovation Solution
A self-administered cervical sampling system with a vaginal insertion tube and sample collecting member featuring a removable brush head and resilient locking tabs, allowing for easy insertion and secure engagement of the sampling device, enabling patients to collect cervical tissue samples independently and efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a self-administered sampling system is used, then accessibility and frequency of screening improve, but sample collection accuracy and reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables women to perform cervical sampling independently at home without requiring medical professional assistance. The self-administered nature improves accessibility and allows annual screening to become a routine practice, directly addressing the barrier of needing to visit healthcare providers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical scraping method with a brush-based mechanical system that rotates to collect cells. This substitution provides more consistent and reliable sample collection while maintaining ease of self-administration, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and reliability.
2Productivity
If a brush-based sampling method is used, then sample collection efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional segments: a brush head for cell collection, a shaft for mechanical transmission, and a handle for user control. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall device design manageable and not overly complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The brush head is designed to rotate dynamically during sample collection, improving efficiency by sweeping across the cervical surface to gather cells. The rotating mechanism adds functional capability without significantly increasing device complexity, as it uses simple mechanical rotation rather than complex actuation systems.
3Stability of the object's composition
If resilient locking tabs are used to secure the shaft, then sample collection stability improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The locking tabs utilize elastic deformation as a design parameter, allowing them to flex during assembly and then lock into place. This parameter change from rigid to elastic behavior provides self-aligning and self-locking capabilities, improving stability while reducing the need for extremely tight manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of resilient (elastic) material for the locking tabs creates a composite structural property within the device. The elastic material provides both the locking function and tolerance compensation, achieving stable shaft positioning without requiring high-precision manufacturing of the engagement features.
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
Facilitates early detection of cervical and vaginal cancer by allowing self-administered sampling, reducing the burden on medical professionals and improving access to annual screenings, while ensuring accurate collection and analysis of cervical tissue samples.
Implementation Method 1
The elongated tubular body having a plurality of opposing resilient locking tabs configured to extend into the interior pathway and engagely lock the insertable shaft within the interior pathway
Data Source
AI summary
A cervical sampling system for collecting a cervical sample for a Pap test. The cervical sampling system includes an insertion tube and an introduction guide member that guides the insertion tube into a vaginal cavity.