Patent Publication Number: US-2013245501-A1

Title: Accurate dilation reader

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of, and is related to, provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/610,039 filed Mar. 13, 2012 and entitled ACCURATE DILATION READ which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally related to apparatuses directed to the measurement of the cervical dilation of an expectant mother during and/or before the onset of labor. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     During pregnancy, the cervix of an expectant mother lengthens and thickens to protect the baby. During labor, the cervix shortens and softens to allow the baby to pass through the cervical opening. Dilation refers to the size of the cervical opening which, when measured at zero, indicates that the cervical opening is closed. Cervical dilation measured in the range of 4 to 8 cm indicates that the cervical opening is partially open and the mother is in active labor while one measured in the range of 8 to 10 cm is considered “transition” wherein the baby is being delivered. A measurement of 10 cm means the cervical opening is fully dilated or opened. 
     Currently, an expectant mother&#39;s cervix is measured, during the final stages of labor, by hand. A health care professional/provider inserts their hand into the woman&#39;s vagina or birth canal to approximate her dilation. Because each person&#39;s hand size is different, an approximation based on this method would vary from one person to another and may be inaccurate. Inaccurate readings of cervical thinning and/or dilation may lead to fetal distress. Additional complications may ensue because of inaccurate measurements of the cervix. 
     As such, there is a need for a device and/or apparatus that would provide an accurate reading of cervical dilation. There is also a need for a dilation reader device and/or apparatus that would provide uniform readings of cervical dilation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In light of the foregoing problem(s) it is an object of the present invention to disclose a device that would provide accurate readings/measurements of the dilation of an expectant mother&#39;s cervix during pregnancy—during and/or before the onset of labor. The device/apparatus envisioned in the present invention is meant to be used to accurately measure the size of the woman&#39;s cervical dilation. The device/apparatus, according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, shall be the same size and will expand appropriately when inserted into the expectant mother&#39;s vagina or birth canal. The accuracy of the instrument&#39;s expansion, according to an embodiment of the present invention, will provide the measurements needed to properly indicate the progression of labor. 
     In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention the dilation reader or speculum may include two or more prongs which may be used to gently and safely expand the vaginal walls of the expectant mother. In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the prongs may retract into the dilation reader when not in use. Control of the movement of the prongs may be made possible by a control panel which an operator, such as a health care provider, may use to have the prongs expand to the vaginal wall and/or cervical opening or retract into the device once the measurements have been taken. 
     In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention the dilation reader, while providing accurate readings/measurements of the dilation of an expectant mother&#39;s cervix, may also provide the health care professional/provider with a view of the cervix. In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, this may be accomplished by a visual component which may be located at an end of the dilation reader. In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the visual device may comprise of a small video camera lens and light source. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a dilation reader which may be made of ergonomic tubing that would allow for its connection to any monitor where the measurements taken would be tabulated, displayed and analyzed. The body of the device, according to an embodiment of the present invention, may comprise of, or be encased in, flexible plastic tubing, which may be adapted to house the necessary wiring for control, data and power for the dilation reader&#39;s components or elements. 
     In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the monitor may have graduations on its screen to assist in the determination of the cervical dilation. The health care professional/provider may then make a manual measurement in order to confirm the patient&#39;s diagnosis. A monitor/LCD/video screen may be used to display the view of the cervix by connecting the monitor/screen to the proximal end of the dilation reader. 
     In another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the device/apparatus may be connected with a processor/computer for analysis of the data collected and/or the measurements made. In yet another aspect, this connection may be made wireles sly. 
     In another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the prongs may be expanded to come in contact with the cervical walls in order to measure the cervical dilation. In one aspect, the tension generated within the prongs by their contact with the cervical opening may be used to determine the cervical dilation. The tension readings from the prongs and other measurements may, in one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, be sent to a processor/computer which may then determine the size of the cervical opening or the cervical dilation. 
     In yet another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the dilation reader may include a tensile device in communication with the prongs. The tensile device may be sued, in one aspect, to determine the cervical dilation by calculating the extent to which the prongs have expanded. In another aspect, the tensile device may, with the help of a microprocessor, calculate the cervical dilation by determining the tension created within springs which work in conjunction with the prongs in their expansion and retraction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features and advantages of aspects of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the claims and drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. 
         FIGS. 1A-1C  illustrate a dilation reader with its components according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a dilation reader being used according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a dilation reader being used in conjunction with a monitor and/or computer according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1A-1C , a dilation reader  100  according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, dilation reader  100  is shown having a control panel  102 , ergonomic tubing  104 , prongs  106 , visual component  108  and light source  110 . In one aspect, the control panel  102  may be used operate prongs  106 —to expand or extend them beyond dilation reader  100  in order to make contact with the expectant mother&#39;s vaginal walls and/or birth canal. Control panel  102  may also be used to retract prongs  106  into dilation reader  100  once a reading has been taken or when dilation reader is not in use. Control panel  102  may additionally, in another aspect, be used to relay information obtained from dilation reader  100  to a remote device such as a monitor or a processor to analyze the readings obtained by dilation reader  100 . 
     Visual component  108 , in one aspect, may comprise of a video camera lens which, coupled with light source  110 , may be used to provide an operator with a view of the vaginal walls, the cervix and/or the birth canal once the dilation reader  100  has been inserted. An operator may also be able to view the cervix with the help of visual component  108 . 
     Ergonomic tubing  104  may, in one aspect, be made of flexible tubing to enable the device&#39;s flexibility and application. Tubing  104  may be configured to house control, data and power wiring which may be used to convey power to visual component  108  and light source  110  while also enabling control signals from control panel  102  to be relayed to prongs  106  and/or visual component  108 . The video feed or picture obtained by visual component  108  may be relayed via tubing  104  to control panel  102 . 
     In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, dilation reader  100  may include tensile device  112 . Tensile device  112  may include sensors which determine when contact with the vaginal wall/birth canal has been made by prongs  106 . The sensors of tensile device  112  in another aspect may be used to determine how wide prongs  106  have expanded away from dilation reader  100 , or determine how far apart prongs  106  have expanded from dilation reader  100 . In yet another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, tensile device  112  may also include a microprocessor for determining the cervical dilation by calculation of the tension built up within springs  114  which are used to enable prongs  106  make contact with the vaginal wall and/or birth canal. This microprocessor may also be configured to calculate the dilation width by determining the tension within the springs of the device. In another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, tensile device  112  may be connected with control panel  102  and have control signals for the operation of prongs  106  relayed through it to prongs  106 . Additionally, tensile device  112  may also be linked with a remote device for relaying data obtained from prongs  106  and/or the video feed from visual component  108 . Tensile device  112  may be used in conjunction with springs  114  which may be used to expand prongs  106  or retract prongs  106  after use of dilation reader  100 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a dilation reader  100  being used within an expectant mother&#39;s birth canal  200  according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is shown. When examining the cervix of an expectant mother, the health care professional/provider would first insert the device/apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present invention, into birth canal  200 . Prongs  106  of dilation reader  100  would then expand out and come in contact with the vaginal walls for visual component  108  to provide an unfettered view of the cervix. With the visual component and light source  110  positioned at the end of the device, the health care professional/provider would be able to obtain an accurate visual assessment of the patient&#39;s progress with the image of the cervix that can be displayed on a monitor. 
     In another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, upon positioning of dilation reader  100  within birth canal  200 , an operator using control panel  102  may send a control signal via control wiring within tubing  104  to prongs  106  to expand or extend from dilation reader  100 . Once contact has been made by prongs  106  with the walls of birth canal  200 , tensile device  112  may then determine the cervical dilation of birth canal  200 . In one aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, once prongs  106  have made contact with the uterine walls, tensile device  112  then determines the distance the prongs have moved with the help of springs  114  used in conjunction with prongs  106 . In another aspect, tensile device  112  may also calculate the distance (and conversely the dilation width) by determining the tension within the prongs as a result of their contact with birth canal  200  and springs  114 . The tension occurs when prongs  106  cannot expand any further once they have made contact with the walls of birth canal  200 . 
     The data obtained from prongs  106  via, in one aspect, tensile device  112  may then be relayed via data wiring within tubing  104  to control panel  102 . In another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a sound device may be activated once prongs  106  make contact with birth canal walls  200  and cannot expand any further at which point an operator may then take the measurements relayed to the control panel  102  and/or a monitor or processor for further display and/or analysis. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , dilation reader  100  is shown as it is being used in conjunction with a monitor and/or computer  300  according to an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention. Monitor  300  may be used to display video feeds obtained from dilation reader  100  and as recorded by visual component  108 . An operator may then be able to view the birth canal  200  an, in one aspect, using graduations on the monitor, determine the dilation width of birth canal  200 . In another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, monitor  300  may be connected with a processor for further analysis and measurements using the data obtained from dilation reader  100 . 
     In another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, the processor may be adapted or configured to calculate the cervical dilation based on the tension generated within the springs  114  once prongs  106  have made contact with the walls of birth canal  200 . 
     Although this present invention has been disclosed with reference to specific forms and embodiments, it will be evident that a great number of variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those specifically disclosed and certain features of the present invention may be used independently of other features—all without departing from the present invention as defined in the appended claims.