Swab Assembly With Slidable Sheath For Controlled Breakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing swabs for biological specimen collection from the urethra or cervix often break prematurely due to scored areas, causing patient discomfort and inefficiency during the sample collection process.
Innovation Solution
A swab assembly with an elongated shaft and a slidable sheath, where the shaft has a notch for controlled breaking, and the sheath can cover the collection tip to reduce discomfort during insertion and expose it for specimen collection, allowing for controlled breakage at the notch after specimen collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a scored area is provided on the elongated shaft to facilitate breaking at a desired height, then the shaft can be easily broken for fitting into a collection tube, but the shaft may prematurely break at the scored area during the sample collection process
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the shaft into two functional zones: a protected zone within the sheath that maintains structural integrity during insertion and collection, and an exposed zone at the proximal end that contains the break feature for controlled breaking after collection. The sheath acts as a protective segment that isolates the scored area from mechanical stresses during critical operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath serves as an intermediary protective element between the external environment and the shaft's scored area. It prevents direct contact between the scored area and mechanical forces during insertion and specimen collection, while still allowing the shaft to be manipulated and broken controllably after the sheath is removed or repositioned.
2Productivity
If the collection tip is exposed during insertion, then specimen collection can be performed, but patient discomfort increases during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath is pre-positioned to cover the collection tip and smooth external surface before insertion begins. This preliminary protective covering reduces friction and patient discomfort during insertion. After successful insertion, the sheath is repositioned to expose the collection tip for specimen collection, thus separating the insertion phase from the collection phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath is designed to be dynamically repositionable along the shaft. It transitions from a covering position during insertion to an exposed position during collection. This dynamic adjustment allows the device to optimize its performance characteristics for each phase of use: smooth external surface for comfortable insertion, then exposed collection tip for effective sampling.
Data Source
AI summary
A swab assembly for collecting a specimen from a patient includes an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a notch between its proximal and distal ends; a sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending between its proximal and distal ends, wherein a portion of the elongated shaft is disposed within the sheath lumen, and the sheath is slidable relative to the elongated shaft; and a collection tip coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft and configured for obtaining the specimen. The sheath is slidable between a first position in which the shaft notch is disposed within the sheath lumen and wherein the sheath protects the elongated shaft from breaking at the notch, and a second position in which the shaft notch is exposed out of the sheath lumen.