Expandable Brush Body for Self-Collection Specimens
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices for self-collection of cervical and other genitalia specimens are not efficient in expanding to cover a wide area for effective specimen collection, leading to incomplete sampling and potential discomfort due to inadequate anatomical matching.
Innovation Solution
A portable self-collection insertion plunger device with an expandable brush body featuring a plurality of bristles or petals that expand after insertion, designed to match anatomical parameters for effective specimen collection from vaginal or anal orifices, utilizing medical-grade silicone for comfort and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If a fixed brush body is used in self-collection devices, then the device structure is simple, but the brush cannot expand to cover a wide area for effective specimen collection
Solution Approach 1:
The brush body is designed to be expandable, transitioning from a compressed state during insertion to an expanded state during specimen collection. This dynamic structure allows the brush to cover a wider area when needed while maintaining ease of insertion, resolving the contradiction between brush coverage area and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The brush body is nested within the insertion device housing, allowing it to be compact during storage and insertion. Upon insertion, the brush expands outward from the nested position to achieve wide coverage, effectively utilizing space while maintaining simplicity in the overall device structure
2Adaptability or versatility
If the brush body is made rigid for structural stability, then manufacturing is easier, but it cannot adapt to different anatomical parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The brush body material is designed with specific physical parameters including tensile strength between 1-10 MPa and elasticity between 0.1-10 MPa. These parameter ranges allow the brush to be sufficiently rigid for manufacturing while remaining flexible enough to adapt to different anatomical structures, resolving the contradiction between manufacturability and adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The brush body is constructed using composite materials that combine rigidity and flexibility properties. This allows the brush to maintain structural stability for easy manufacturing while simultaneously adapting to various anatomical parameters, achieving both ease of manufacture and anatomical adaptability
3Strength
If the brush bristles are made soft for comfort, then patient discomfort is reduced, but the brush lacks tensile strength for effective specimen collection
Solution Approach 1:
The brush material tensile strength is specifically controlled between 1-10 MPa, providing sufficient strength for effective specimen collection while remaining soft enough to minimize patient discomfort. This precise parameter control resolves the contradiction between brush strength and comfort
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the brush body have different material properties optimized for their specific functions. The brush tips are designed with appropriate softness for comfort during insertion, while the overall brush structure maintains sufficient tensile strength for effective specimen collection, achieving local optimization of both comfort and strength
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
The device ensures comprehensive specimen collection with minimal discomfort by expanding to match anatomical parameters, allowing for efficient sampling over a predetermined period, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy and patient experience.
Implementation Method 1
a brush body placed into the tubing casing, the brush body comprising a plurality of bristles on a first end and a string attached on a second end; wherein the specimen collection device functions between a first state and a second state, the plurality of bristles on the brush body remaining in an unexpanded form during the first state, the plurality of bristles on the brush body expanding outward in an expanded form during the second state
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a portable insertion medical device (also referred to as “self-collection insertion plunger device” or “self-collection delivery plunger device”) with the design of a brush body for self-collection of a plurality of specimens from female genitalia. In one embodiment, the self-collection insertion plunger device includes a brush portion having a plurality of bristles that expand outward with a tensile strength to collect a plurality of specimens after insertion for a predetermined amount of time. In another embodiment, the self-collection insertion plunger device has a brush body with a plurality of petals and a plurality of bristles for a wider coverage in the collection of a plurality of specimens, particularly as the plurality of petals expand after insertion into female genitalia.