Portable Pelvic Exam Device Wedge Base and Stirrups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current OB/GYN examination tables are large, heavy, and immobile, making them difficult to transport and use in various settings, especially for immobile patients, and existing portable options are either uncomfortable, unsafe, or too expensive for widespread use.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight, portable pelvic exam device with a wedge-shaped prismatic base and a semispherical concave well, designed to be used on existing beds or tables, providing support for patients in a dorsal or modified lithotomy position, and equipped with a retractable drawer and stirrup assemblies for easy tool access, requiring minimal assembly and ensuring patient comfort and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated pelvic examination tables are used, then examination function is provided, but portability and mobility are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The examination table is divided into a main body structure and separate functional components including the wedge-shaped base, stirrup assemblies, and drawer unit. This segmentation allows the device to maintain full examination functionality while reducing overall weight and enabling portability through selective assembly and disassembly of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable examination table is designed to perform multiple functions: providing dorsal position support, lithotomy position support with stirrups, and instrument storage via drawer. This multi-functionality consolidates what would traditionally require multiple separate devices into one portable unit, maintaining comprehensive examination capability while improving mobility.
2Weight of moving object
If portable pelvic exam carts are used, then mobility is improved, but device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The design extracts only the essential functional elements needed for portable examination—wedge-shaped base for positioning, stirrup assemblies for lithotomy position, and drawer for instruments—omitting non-essential bulk components found in traditional portable carts. This extraction achieves portability without requiring the device to be half the size of a medical bed.
Solution Approach 2:
The device concentrates functionality in specific localized components rather than distributing it throughout a large structure. The wedge-shaped base provides localized positional support, stirrup assemblies provide localized leg support, and the drawer provides localized instrument storage. This localized quality approach reduces overall device size while maintaining necessary functions.
3Weight of moving object
If makeshift positioning methods are used, then portability is maintained, but patient comfort and safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The wedge-shaped base incorporates built-in cushioning surfaces and ergonomic contours designed beforehand to support patient comfort in both dorsal and lithotomy positions. This eliminates the need for makeshift cushioning with pillows or bedpans, providing safe and comfortable positioning from the start without compromising portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The design replaces expensive, heavy, non-portable examination tables with a lightweight, affordable portable device that can be easily transported and reused. The durable construction ensures repeated use without degradation, providing a cost-effective alternative to disposable makeshift solutions while maintaining patient safety.
4Weight of moving object
If dedicated OB/GYN chairs are used, then mobility is improved, but ease of operation and patient accessibility worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The portable examination table components are designed with pre-assembled units and intuitive connection mechanisms that require minimal assembly steps. The wedge-shaped base, stirrup assemblies, and drawer are pre-configured for easy attachment, eliminating the complex manipulation and unfolding required by dedicated OB/GYN chairs. This preliminary preparation ensures rapid deployment without compromising mobility.
Data Source
AI summary
A new and useful portable pelvic exam device is provided, which is lightweight for convenient transport or storage, and is readily used atop existing surfaces in the environment such as a bed and maintains a patient in a dorsal or modified lithotic position for a pelvic examination or procedure. The device comprises a substantially wedge shaped prismatic base with a concave semispherical well along the front surface, over which a patient orients her vulva to create a theatre in which the examiner may observe the anatomy, operate ancillary tools and perform an indicated procedure or exam. Stirrup assemblies may be utilized in concert with the device to support the patient's feet and keep her knees spaced apart from each other and legs in an abducted position. Additionally, the device has a drawer moveably attached into an aperature in the device, which can be opened or closed and houses therein ancillary tools.