Speculum With Secondary Bills For Tissue Encroachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional medical speculums cause discomfort and limited accessibility due to side wall encroachment, ergonomic issues, and repetitive stress injuries, with inadequate solutions for improving visualization and accessibility, especially for obese or postpartum women, and often made of uncomfortable materials like metal.
Innovation Solution
A speculum design featuring a handle with a narrower profile, additional secondary bills for side wall support, an ergonomic angle between the handle and bill portion, and a locking mechanism that allows one-handed operation, reducing tissue encroachment and discomfort, and incorporating materials like plastics for biocompatibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional two-blade speculum design is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but tissue enters between the blades causing side wall encroachment that impedes visualization and accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The speculum is divided into multiple functional components: primary blades for opening the cavity, secondary bills for sidewall support, and a window frame for visualization. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function effectively, preventing tissue encroachment while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary bills are positioned inside the primary blades when closed, creating a nested configuration. Upon opening, the secondary bills deploy to provide sidewall support while the primary blades maintain the opening. This nesting allows multiple functions within a compact structure that remains manufacturable
2Area of stationary object
If larger speculum size is used to provide larger viewing window, then accessibility and visibility improve, but patient discomfort increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing the entire speculum size, the invention adds localized functionality through secondary bills that provide sidewall support only where needed. The window frame provides adequate visualization area without requiring an overall larger speculum, thus maintaining patient comfort while improving accessibility
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional handle design with 90-degree angle is used, then manufacturing is simple, but ergonomic issues cause repetitive stress injuries to practitioners
Solution Approach 1:
The handle angle is changed from the traditional 90 degrees to an ergonomic angle between 45-60 degrees. This parameter change improves practitioner ergonomics and reduces repetitive stress injuries while remaining compatible with standard manufacturing processes
4Device complexity
If traditional screw-based locking mechanism is used, then the mechanism is simple, but two-handed operation is required causing operational inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The complex two-handed screw-based locking mechanism is replaced with a simpler one-handed locking system. The locking mechanism is extracted and redesigned to allow single-handed operation, improving operational efficiency while maintaining adequate locking functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-contained and operable by one hand, allowing the practitioner to lock the speculum in place without requiring assistance or complex two-handed coordination. This self-service design improves workflow efficiency
5Strength
If metal material is used for speculum, then strength and durability are high, but patient discomfort increases due to cold and hard surface
Solution Approach 1:
The speculum is constructed from composite materials that combine the strength and durability of metal with the comfort and biocompatibility of medical-grade plastics. This allows the device to maintain structural integrity while providing a warmer, more comfortable surface that reduces patient discomfort
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses relating to a speculum. The speculum includes a handle, a first bill and a second bill, where a proximal end portion of the first bill and the second bill are coupled to an upper portion of the handle and configured to open along a first axis, a third bill and a fourth bill, where a proximal end portion of the third bill and the fourth bill are coupled to the upper portion of the handle and configured to open along a second axis substantially orthogonal to the first axis and an actuation mechanism that causes the first bill and the second bill to move between an open position and a closed position. In some embodiments, the speculum includes a locking mechanism with a rocker mechanism, a lock strip contained in a handle of the speculum, and a pawl coupled to the handle.