Fetal heartbeat phantom

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10524762-B2
Application number	US-201715815000-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2017
Priority date	Nov 16, 2017
Publication date	Jan 7, 2020
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020

Abstract

A phantom for simulating fetal heartbeat. The phantom includes a housing and a fetal heartbeat simulator. The housing has an exterior shaped like a female human pelvic region and surrounds an interior. The fetal heartbeat simulator includes a tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being positioned within the interior of the housing. The tube is filled with a first fluid having a first compressibility. A second fluid, having a compressibility that is greater than the compressibility of the first fluid, is disposed at the distal end of the tube. A pressure mechanism operably coupled to the proximal end of the tube is configured to selectively compress and decompress the first and second fluids.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A phantom comprising:
a housing comprising an exterior substantially shaped like a female human pelvic region and surrounding an interior; and
a fetal heartbeat simulator comprising:
a tube having distal and proximal ends, the distal end being positioned within the interior of the housing;
a first fluid having a first compressibility and filling the tube;
a second fluid having a second compressibility that is greater than the first compressibility, the second fluid being disposed within the distal end of the tube; and
a pressure mechanism operably coupled to the proximal end of the tube and configured to selectively compress and decompress the first and second fluids.

2. The phantom of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fetal structure positioned within the interior of the housing, the distal end of the tube being operably coupled to the fetal structure.

3. The phantom of claim 2 , wherein the fetal structure is substantially the size of an eight-week-old human fetus.

4. The phantom of claim 2 , wherein the housing further comprising:
a uterus structure disposed within the interior, the fetal structure being positioned within the uterus structure.

5. The phantom of claim 1 , wherein the second fluid is air and the first fluid is water.

6. The phantom of claim 1 , wherein the pressure mechanism is a hand-operated pressure bulb or a reciprocating pump.

7. The phantom of claim 1 , the fetal heartbeat simulator further comprising:
a controller operably coupled to the pressure mechanism and configured control the selective compression and decompression of the first and second fluids.

8. The phantom of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprising:
a bladder structure within the interior, a bowel structure within the interior, or both.

9. The phantom of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprising:
a uterus structure disposed within the interior; and
a Fallopian tube structure disposed within the interior and coupled to the uterus structure.

10. The phantom of claim 9 , wherein the distal end of the tube is operably coupled to the uterus.

11. The phantom of claim 9 , wherein the distal end of the tube is operably coupled to the Fallopian tube.

12. A method of training a health care professional to find a fetal heartbeat using the ultrasound phantom of claim 1 , the method comprising:
operating an ultrasound transducer on the exterior of the phantom;
actuating the pressure mechanism to simulate a fetal heartbeat; and
detecting the selective compression and decompression of the first and second fluids.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein actuating the pressure mechanism includes operating a pressure bulb or a reciprocating pump.

14. A fetal heartbeat simulator comprising:
a fetal structure;
a tube having distal and proximal ends, the distal end being within the fetal structure;
a first fluid having a first compressibility and filling the tube;
a second fluid having a second compressibility that is greater than the first compressibility, the second fluid being disposed within the distal end of the tube; and
a pressure mechanism operably coupled to the proximal end of the tube and configured to selectively compress and decompress the first and second fluids.

15. The fetal heartbeat simulator of claim 14 , wherein the fetal structure is substantially the size of an eight-week-old human fetus.

16. The fetal heartbeat simulator of claim 14 , wherein the second fluid is air and the first fluid is water.

17. The fetal heartbeat simulator of claim 14 , wherein the pressure mechanism is a hand-operated pressure bulb or a reciprocating pump.

18. The fetal heartbeat simulator of claim 14 , further comprises:
a controller operably coupled to the pressure mechanism and configured control the selective compression and decompression of the first and second fluids.

Assignees

• Us Gov Air Force
• Us Air Force

Inventors

• Kent Zackary J

Classifications

• A61B8/0866 Primary

  involving foetal diagnosis; pre-natal or peri-natal diagnosis of the baby · CPC title

• G16H50/50

  for simulation or modelling of medical disorders · CPC title

• G09B23/286

  for scanning or photography techniques, e.g. X-rays, ultrasonics · CPC title

• G09B23/281

  for pregnancy, birth or obstetrics (G09B23/286 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G16H40/63

  for local operation · CPC title