Vaginal Speculum with Integral Push-Pull Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vaginal speculums are cumbersome and time-consuming to operate due to the need to adjust and secure the nut for expansion and closure, leading to low operational efficiency in gynecological examinations.

Innovation Solution

A vaginal speculum design featuring a semi-circle ring connecting member and supporting members that can be pushed or pulled to open and close without turning a nut, with integral formation for enhanced structural strength and convenience, using lightweight plastic materials for comfort and stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the conventional vaginal speculum uses a nut and screw mechanism for expansion and closure, then the structure can be adjusted to different positions, but the operation becomes troublesome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustability of expansion angleVSAvoidoperational convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the nut and screw mechanism from the conventional vaginal speculum design. By extracting this complex fastening mechanism, the patent achieves a simpler structure that allows direct manipulation of the supporting members for expansion and closure without the need to turn nuts or adjust screws, thereby resolving the contradiction between adaptability and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using a nut-screw mechanism where the nut is turned to control expansion, the invention inverts the approach by allowing the supporting members to be directly pushed or pulled for expansion and closure. This inversion eliminates the intermediate fastening step and enables direct control, improving operational convenience while maintaining adjustability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If the conventional vaginal speculum uses a nut that can be loosened and detached, then the nut can be cleaned and sterilized, but the operation becomes more complex requiring repeated attachment and detachment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesterilization capabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the supporting members with the connecting member into an integrally formed structure. This combination eliminates the need for separate nuts and screws, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining the ability to clean and sterilize the entire speculum as a single piece, thus resolving the contradiction between sterilization capability and device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention segments the vaginal speculum into a connecting member and two supporting members that are integrally formed. This segmentation allows the entire structure to be treated as a single sterilizable unit, eliminating the need for complex assembly and disassembly of multiple fastening components, thereby reducing structural complexity while preserving sterilization capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the conventional vaginal speculum requires adjustment of expansion angle before fixing the nut, then the examination can be customized, but the procedure becomes time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization of examination positionVSAvoidexamination time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention enables preliminary adjustment of the expansion angle by allowing the supporting members to be pushed or pulled to the desired position before insertion. The integral formation with the connecting member maintains this position without requiring subsequent nut tightening, thus achieving customization of examination position while reducing the time required during the actual examination procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of manufacture

If the conventional vaginal speculum uses separate components for the nut and screw, then the parts can be manufactured independently, but the operational efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing independenceVSAvoidoperational efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the supporting members and connecting member into an integrally formed structure, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing of nuts and screws. This integration streamlines the manufacturing process into a single molding operation while dramatically improving operational efficiency by eliminating the need to turn nuts or adjust screws during examination, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing independence and operational efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11337730B2Vaginal speculum

Publication Date: 2022.05.24 KAOHSIUNG MEDICAL UNIVERSITY

AI summary

A vaginal speculum is provided to improve upon the poor convenience of operating the conventional vaginal speculum. The vaginal speculum includes a connecting member having a first end and a second end, and two supporting members. Each of the two supporting members has a coupling end and an insertion end opposite to the coupling end. The coupling ends of the two supporting members respectively connect to the first end and the second end of the connecting member. The two supporting members are configured to be pushed towards or pulled away from each other.