Telescopic Swab Device Isolating Tip from Nasal Flora
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional swabs used for collecting samples from body cavities, such as the nose, throat, and ears, often become contaminated during insertion and retraction, leading to inaccurate antibiotic prescriptions due to exposure to nasal flora like Staphylococcus aureus.
Innovation Solution
A sample collecting device with a telescopic design featuring an outer and inner tubular member, a swab with a guiding element, and a flexible valve that maintains a free space around the swabbing tip, preventing contamination by keeping the swab isolated from the valve during insertion and retraction, and allowing sample collection without contact with potentially contaminated surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the swab is introduced through the anterior nasal passage for sample collection, then the sample can be collected from the nasal mucous membrane, but the swabbing tip and/or stick become contaminated with nasal flora such as Staphylococcus aureus
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate functional segments: an outer tube that contacts the nasal passage, an inner tube that protects the swab, and guiding elements that maintain spatial separation. This segmentation allows the swab to remain isolated from contamination sources while still enabling sample collection from the nasal mucous membrane.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner tube acts as an intermediary barrier between the swab and the contaminated environment of the nasal passage. The guiding elements serve as intermediaries to maintain the free space configuration, ensuring the swab does not contact the outer tube or valve during insertion and retraction.
2Ease of operation
If the swab contacts the valve or outer tubular member during insertion and retraction, then the device can be easily operated, but the swab becomes contaminated compromising sample accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The swab is nested within the inner tube, which is itself nested within the outer tube. This nested configuration allows the swab to be guided and protected during insertion and retraction through the nasal passage, maintaining ease of operation while preventing contamination through the protective inner tube barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding elements are pre-configured to maintain the free space around the swabbing tip before insertion occurs. This preliminary arrangement ensures that during the subsequent insertion and retraction operations, the swab automatically maintains its isolated position without requiring active control, thus preserving both ease of operation and sample accuracy.
3Device complexity
If the swabbing tip is exposed to nasal flora during insertion and retraction, then the device structure can be simple, but antibiotic prescription accuracy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into distinct protective and functional components (outer tube, inner tube, guiding elements, valve) that work together to prevent contamination. This segmentation achieves reliable sample collection without excessive complexity, as each component has a specific protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve is designed as a flexible component that can seal the distal end of the outer tube while allowing controlled access. This flexible shell approach provides effective contamination protection without requiring complex rigid sealing mechanisms, thus maintaining reasonable device complexity while ensuring sample reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A sample collecting device for collecting samples of cellular material includes an outer tubular member, an inner tubular member and a swab having a tip. At least one guiding element supports and slidably arranges the swab in the inner tubular member such that there is a free space around the swabbing tip. A flexible valve is arranged at a distal end of the outer tubular member. In a storage configuration, the valve is closed and seals the distal end of the outer tubular member. In a sampling configuration, the valve is open such that the swab is slidable to extend through the distal end of the outer tubular member without contacting the valve. A swab kit for collecting and storing samples of cellular material from body cavities includes a sample collecting device and a sealable container adapted to receive and store at least a part of the sample collecting device.