Oral Cavity Insertion Instrument with Integrated Tongue Depressor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oral cavity examination methods, such as using a tongue depressor, often cause discomfort and trigger a vomiting reflex in patients, especially infants, making subsequent examinations challenging due to the need for wide mouth opening.
Innovation Solution
An oral cavity insertion instrument with a long scope portion and a tongue depressor in the form of a plate, attached to a monitor device, allows for observation without wide mouth opening, featuring a rounded tip end and side edges to prevent tissue damage and obstruction, and an attachment unit for secure attachment to the monitor device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a tongue depressor is used to press the tongue downward while the patient opens their mouth widely, then the oral cavity and pharynx can be viewed, but a vomiting reflex is caused to the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument is divided into distinct functional segments: a cover member that protects the scope portion and provides structural support, a tongue depressor that applies gentle pressure to the tongue, and a scope portion that captures images. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function optimally without causing discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The scope portion is inserted into the bore of the cover member, creating a nested structure. The cover member has a bore that receives the scope portion, allowing the imaging system to be protected while still enabling tongue depression functionality.
2Reliability
If the tip end of the tongue depressor has a width greater than the cover member, then swelled flesh can be prevented from obstructing the view, but the instrument structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The tongue depressor has varying width along its length, with the tip end being wider than the cover member width. This local variation in geometry serves the specific function of preventing swelled flesh from obstructing the view, while the rest of the instrument maintains a simpler structure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the tip end of the tongue depressor is rounded, then tissue damage is prevented, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tip end of the tongue depressor is formed with a rounded shape having a radius of curvature between 1mm and 5mm. This curvature prevents the sharp edges from contacting and damaging oral tissues, while the specified radius range balances safety with manufacturability.
Data Source
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AI summary
An oral cavity insertion instrument which is to be attached to a monitor device having a long scope portion is provided. The oral cavity insertion instrument is adapted to be used by being inserted into an oral cavity and has a long cover member having a bore which extends in a longitudinal direction thereof, wherein the scope portion of the monitor is adapted to be inserted into the bore. The oral cavity insertion instrument also has a long tongue depressor in the form of a plate. The tongue depressor is provided adjacent to and in contact with the cover member along the longitudinal direction thereof. The oral cavity insertion instrument includes an attachment unit used to attach the cover member to the monitor device. The tongue depressor includes a tip end having a width greater than that of the cover member. A pharyngoscope apparatus provided with the oral cavity insertion instrument is also provided.