Patent Application
20170239030
Artificial vaginas described herein may be used as part of artificial insemination of animals. Artificial vaginas described herein may be particularly useful in equine artificial insemination. Certain artificial vaginas disclosed herein may be lightweight, may provide temperature control and may provide pressure control.
The embodiments described in Example 1 may be used by first placing the body of Artificial vagina 100 on Heating stand 310 such that Liner folds 123 rests on Heater base 330. Relief valve 223 may be set to an operating pressure, a pressure slightly above the operating pressure, or an interim pressure that is less than the operating pressure. Flexible annular bag 121 may then be inflated by way of First Port 210 to an operating pressure or a pressure slightly above the operating pressure. A heating element or multiple heating elements within Heating rod 320 may then be engaged automatically, by a switch, by plugging in Heating stand 310 or by other appropriate means to heat Liner 120 to an operating temperature or to a temperature slightly above the operating temperature. The operating temperature may, for example, be 48° C. The body of Artificial vagina 100 may remain positioned on Heating stand 310 until it is ready for use. Heating stand 310 may be configured to provide a maintenance level of heating that is less than the heating required to bring Liner 120 to the operating temperature. The control of Heating rod 320 may be done with one or more thermometers adjacent to one or more of Liner 120 and Flexible annular bag 121 with the thermometer(s) being part of a control loop or control scheme. The control loop or control scheme may be controlled from within Heating stand 310 and may be set up to achieve and maintain Liner 120 at or near the operating temperature. When it is time for collecting, the pressure in Flexible annular bag 121 may be adjusted to the operating pressure either by adding air, for example, by way of Pneumatic hose 213 or by decreasing the pressure. A decrease in pressure may be achieved by altering the setting of Relief valve 223 or by either manually or automatically releasing some quantity of air through a valve. Use of Artificial vagina 100 may proceed in a manner comparable to the use of prior art water filled artificial vaginas however the version of Artificial vagina 100 depicted in
Artificial vagina 100 may be configured such that it may be warmed for use through a hot air blower or pump. In such an embodiment, warm or hot air may be introduced through Second Port 220 and exhausted through Third Port 230 or introduced through Third Port 230 and exhausted through Second Port 220. A variety of alternate port configurations and flow paths may be employed. Configurations and flow paths that evenly distribute warm or hot air through Flexible annular bag 121 may provide a suitable heat distribution over the area of Liner 120. Thermometers including thermometers that make up part of an automatic control loop associated with the hot air blower or pump may be placed in proximity to Liner 120 such that the optimal temperature of Liner 120 may be achieved prior to use. In embodiments where a hot air blower or pump is used, the blower or pump may achieve the desired pressure or a secondary pump, which may be a manual pump, could be used to achieve the operating pressure. The Artificial vagina 100 depicted in
A large number of potential examples are consistent with the disclosures of the preceding examples. A significant portion of those potential examples may be characterized by the features of the example sets described below. Table 1 below describes 16 such groups of embodiments. For example, Example Set 4A describes a group of embodiments in which the relief valve pressure is at least 5 mmHg, the relief valve pressure is at most 45 mmHg, the Liner operating temperature is at least 40° C. and the housing length is at least 18 in.
A large number of potential examples are consistent with the disclosures of the preceding examples. A significant portion of those potential examples may be characterized by the features of the example sets described below.
As used herein the “initial fill percent” is the percentage of the internal volume of Housing 110 occupied by Flexible annular bag 121 after removal from Heating stand 310 if Heating stand 310 or another similar heating method is used but before the insertion of the male reproductive organ. The initial fill percentage may, for example, be 80%. As used herein the “operational air expulsion percent” is the mass percentage of air expelled from Flexible annular bag 121 during the semen collection. The operational air expulsion percent may, for example, be 20% or 30%. The parameters set out in Table 2 may be used to characterize certain groups of embodiments of which certain versions of the embodiments depicted in
Because the artificial vagina will often be used shortly after the cessation of temperature and/or pressure control for the liner, the various individual components associated with temperature and pressure control may be located either on the body of Artificial vagina 100 or on Heating stand 310. However, in most embodiments, Relief valve 223 will be on Artificial vagina 100.
Artificial vaginas described herein may, for example, comprise: an elongate housing having a first opening and a second opening; a liner located within the elongate housing wherein the liner is attached to the elongate housing; a volume of air between the elongate housing and the liner wherein the volume of air is at least 35° C. and wherein the volume of air has a gauge pressure of at least 5 mmHg; an aperture centrally located within the elongate housing and the liner; an elongate body sized and configured to substantially fill the aperture; and a pressure relief valve in fluid communication with the volume of air; wherein the elongate body contains a heating element. In a related example, the elongate body may have a low friction surface. In a related example, the elongate body may be lubricated. In a further related example, the artificial vagina may have a hand pump. In a further related example, the elongate body may be component of a stand configured to receive the elongate housing and the liner. In a still further related example, the elongate housing may be at least 14 inches long. In a still further related example, the elongate housing may have an internal diameter of at least 3.5 inches. In a still further related example, the artificial vagina may have a thermometer in proximity to the elongate body. In a still further related example, the thermometer may be a thermocouple configured to regulate a heater. In a still further related example, the pressure relief valve may be a variable pressure relief valve.
Artificial vaginas described herein may, for example, comprise: an elongate housing having a first opening, a second opening and an internal volume; a liner located within the elongate housing wherein the liner is attached to the elongate housing; a volume of air between the elongate housing and the liner wherein the volume of air is at least 35° C. and wherein the volume of air has a gauge pressure of at least 5 mmHg; a thermometer in proximity to the liner; a relief valve in fluid communication with the volume of air; a positive pressure warm air supply in fluid communication with the volume of air; a temperature controller controlling the positive pressure warm air supply based on information from the thermometer and an exhaust port in fluid communication with the volume of air; wherein the volume of air fills greater than 70% of the internal volume and wherein the positive pressure warm air supply is configured to separate from the elongate housing and the liner. In a related example, the artificial vagina may have a hand pump. In a further related example, the elongate housing may be at least 14 inches long. In a further related example, the elongate housing may have an internal diameter of at least 3.5 inches. In a further related example, the thermometer may be a thermocouple in communication with a heater. In a still further related example, the artificial vagina may have a pressure relief valve in fluid communication with the volume of air.
The above-described embodiments have a number of independently useful individual features that have particular utility when used in combination with one another including combinations of features from embodiments described separately. There are, of course, other alternate embodiments which are obvious from the foregoing descriptions of the invention, which are intended to be included within the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.
