AU2008202305A1

AU2008202305A1 - Four Bladed Speculum

Info

Publication number: AU2008202305A1
Application number: AU2008202305A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Hua Wang David
Original assignee: Wang David Hua Dr
Current assignee: Wang David Hua Dr
Priority date: 2008-02-28
Filing date: 2008-05-21
Publication date: 2009-09-17

Description

Editorial Note 2008202305 There are six pages of Description AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE STANDARD PATENT SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: FOUR BLADED SPECULUM This invention is described in the following statement:- Four Bladed Speculum Field of the Invention The invention relates to specula and more particularly to a four bladed speculum. 5 Background of the Invention Large numbers of women are hesitant to undergo pap smears and vaginal examinations. Some of the aforementioned hesitation is attributable to patient discomfort and the dislike of metal instruments often used in 10 vaginal examinations. During a routine gynaecological exam, the practitioner (or physician) visually inspects the cervix and vaginal walls using a speculum. A standard duckbill speculum has two blades that open the vagina vertically. Conventional specula are often uncomforatable according to a wide cross 15 section of women and technically sometimes unsuitable for the examination of overweight women. Gynaecological practitioners cannot easily view such women's cervix during pelvic examination using the traditional duckbill specula because of the excess skin and tissue in the vagina. The vagina's side walls can collapse inward because of the duckbill's lack of wall support. This 20 obstruction restricts an examiner's access the cervix for routine cell sampling or other procedures, potentially leading to inadequate gynaecological care for these women. Objects and Summary of the Invention 25 Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to improve a women's comfort level during routine vaginal examination. It is another object of the invention to provide a tool giving medical practitioners with an uninterrupted view of the cervix. Accordingly, there is provided a four bladed speculum that can be 30 operated with one hand. In preferred embodiments, the speculum is polymeric.

Brief Description of the Drawing Figures In order that the invention be better understood, reference is now made to the following drawing figures in which: 5 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a four bladed polymeric speculum made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective detail of the device depicted in Figure i; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the principal opening of the device 10 depicted in Figure 1 Figure 4 is a perspective view of a side blade; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a side blade; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the handle and lower jaw; 15 Figure 7 is a perspective view of the upper jaw; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the upper jaw and its exhaust tube; and Figure 9 is a perspective view of a lower jaw and its drain tube. 20 Best Mode and Other Embodiments of the Invention Throughout this specification the terms "upper" and "lower" etc. are used with reference to the orientation of the device as shown in Figure , that is, with the handle pointing down. it will be understood that in paractice, the orientation of the instrument may vary. The term "distal" refers to a direction 25 away from the practitioner and toward the patient when the device is in use. As shown in Figure 1, the four bladed speculum of the present invention 10 comprises a lower jaw and its integral handle ii, an upper jaw 12 that is pivotally connected to the lower jaw 11, and a pair of opposing side blades 13, 14 that are retained by the lower jaw as. The upper jaw 12 also 30 comprises an integral actuating yoke 15 and a separate and slidable "U" shaped locking piece i6. As shown in Figure 2, the yoke 1 extends from the proximal end 21 Of the upper jaw 12 and further comprises guide rails 22 to assist in the retention of the locking piece 16. This arrangement allows the pointed distal ends of the locking piece 16 to reciprocate toward and away from the detents or teeth 23 that are formed onto lateral portions of the lower jaw 12. In the embodiment depicted in Figure 2, the teeth 24 are formed around the perimeter of side plates 24 that are integral with the lower jaw. 5 As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the lower jaw, preferably in the area of the side plates 24 further comprises hinge components 25 for retaining the side blades 13, 14. In this example, the hinge components 25 are generally "C" shaped and adapted to receive hinge pins 26 that extend transversely from the proximal end of the side blades 13, 14. 10 As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 7, the upper blade 12 comprises an elongated central portion 18 that is roughly "C" shaped in cross section. The lower blade 12 also comprises an elongated central portion that is roughly "C" shaped in cross section. The distal end of both of the upper and lower blades terminates in a cupped tip e.g 19. A gap 19b is present between the tips of the 15 upper and lower jaws, even when they are fully closed. The peripheral edge 19a of the tip lies generally in a horizontal plane when the instrument 10 is upright and forms a rounded or semi-circular perimeter. With particular reference to Figure 7, the lateral edges 71 of the upper blade 12, particularly in the area of the central portion 18, are recessed with respect to the perimetral 20 edge 19a of the tip 19. As will be explained, this recess cooperates with a corresponding recessing of the lower blade to create space or gap for receiving the side blades. The proximal end 72 of the central portion 18 blends smoothly into the proximal body structure 73 of the upper blade. The proximal structure 73 forms an enlarged area characterised by generally flat 25 side portions 74, 75. Each of the side portions 74, 75 features a hinge component such as a pin 76 for receiving a cooperating portion of the lower jaw and its integral handle 11. The surrounding edge 77 of the side portions 74, 75 form a cam surface. As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 7, each of the side blades 13, 14 features 30 an internal cam follower 31 that cooperates with a cam surface 77 (see Figure 7). When the yoke 15 is urged toward the handle of the lower jaw 11, the upper jaw rotates relative to the lower jaw. As this occurs, the effective radius of the cam surface 77 increases with respect to the cam followers 31 and thus acts to urge the side blades 13, 14 to open away from the principal opening 32 of the speculum 1o. Rotation of the side blades 13, 14 is accommodated by the hinge arrangement discussed with reference to Figure 2. As further suggested by Figure 3, it will be observed that owing to the cam and cam follower arrangement 77, 31, the side blades deform in the area primarily around the 5 transverse hinge pins 26. The portions of the side blades distal to the hinge pins 26 contacts the flat portions 24 of the lower jaw while the portions forward of the hinge pins 26 deflect outward. Because the side blades are polymeric, the shape memory of the side blades causes them to return to their rest shape as the yoke returns to its initial position. Thus, the side blades can 10 be said to be self-biasing. Figure 2 also illustrates that the lower jaw has central longitudinal channel 33 that is adapted to receive a tube such as a suction tube for the evacuation of liquid such as antiseptic solutions and blood (see Figure 9). As shown in Figure 4, a side blade 41 is shown as having a triangular 15 shaped cam follower 42 located close to but forward of the transverse hinge pins 43. A flat paddle-like shape 44 extends proximal to the hinge pins 43. The distal tip 45 of the side blade comprises a small recess 46 for receiving the distal tip of the lower jaw. The interior of the side blade also supports an optional auxiliary surface or extension flap 47 that adds to the surface area of 20 the side blade thus providing more effective retraction through better contact with the vaginal wall. An alternate embodiment of a side blade is depicted in Figure 5. In this embodiment, the side blade 50 comprises a metal "U" shaped member 51 that extends proximal to the area of the transverse hinge pin 52. The insert 25 moulded metal end 51 potentially provides superior bias or restorative force to the motion of the side blade as it returns to its rest position after use. Figure 6 illustrates the lower jaw and its integral handle in greater detail. The side plates 24 are shown as extending from the body of the lower jaw in the area of the intersection of the lower jaw 61 and its integral handle 30 62. Through openings 63 are shown as passing through the side plates 24 and having lead grooves 64 for facilitating the insertion of the hinge pins of the upper jaw into the through openings 63. Figure 8 illustrates the utilisation of an exhaust or suction tube 81. The suction tube may be positioned in any conventional fashion within the upper jaw 82 and leads to a suction bottle 83. The proximal end 84 of the upper jaw optionally contains a notch 85 for allowing the tube 81 to escape without obstructing the principal 32 opening. As shown in Figure 9, the lower jaw may optionally include a 5 longitudinal channel 33 for accepting, receiving or retaining a second suction tube 91. This tube may be used to extract fluids such as blood or antiseptic fluids and allow them to be collected in a second suction bottle 92. While the present invention has been described with reference to particular details of construction, these should be understood as having been 10 provided by way of example and not as limitations to the scope or spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A four bladed vaginal speculum device comprising: 5 a first blade carried by a handle; a second blade pivotally connected to the first blade and having a yoke; a pair of pivoting side blades carried by one of the first or second blades, the side blades each having cam followers, the other of the first or second blades having a pair of cam surfaces that contact the cam followers to open the side 10 blades.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein: the first blade further comprises a detent mechanism that cooperates with a 15 locking piece carried by the yoke.

3. The device of either one of claims 1 or 2, wherein: the side blades are resilient and self biasing. 20

4. The device of any one of claims 1-3, wherein: the side blades each comprise a transverse hinge pin that is carried by a cooperating hinge component on one of the first or second blades. 25

5. The device of any one of claims 1-4, wherein: the side blades each comprise an interior surface that supports an extension flap that adds to the surface area of the side blade. 30 1

6. The device of any one of claims 1-5, wherein: one of the first or second jaws is a lower jaw that comprises a longitudinal channel for retaining a suction tube. 5

7. The device of any one of claims 2-6, wherein: the yoke extends from a proximal end of a jaw and further comprises guide rails to assist in the retention of the locking piece. 10

8. The device of any one of claims 1-7, wherein: each blade comprises an elongated central portion that is roughly "C" shaped in cross section, a distal end of each blade terminating in a cupped tip, a gap 15 being present between the tips, even when they are fully closed.

9. The device of any one of claims 2-8, wherein: the locking piece comprises pointed distal ends that reciprocate toward and 20 away from teeth that are formed onto lateral portions of a jaw.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein: the teeth are formed around the perimeter of side plates that are integral with 25 ajaw. 2

11. The device of claims 4, wherein: the side blades deform in the area primarily around the transverse hinge pins, portions of the side blades distal to the hinge pins contacting flat portions of a 5 jaw while the portions forward of the hinge pins deflect outward. Molins & Co. 10 for the Applicant David Hua Wang 3