Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Monitoring fertility cycle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-09
2001-01-16
Hindenburg, Max (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Monitoring fertility cycle
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174290
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for detecting an ovulation period of mammals such as hogs, cows, and men.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, ovulation period detecting apparatuses for mammals to be used for predicting the timings of semen deposition include those proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publications Nos.Hei 7-38856, 7-87837, 7-87838, 7-87840, 7-87841, and 7-87842, for example, in which the sodium ion concentration on vaginal mucous membrane is measured on the basis of impedance in inverse proportion thereto to detect the timing of the ovulation period, thereby determining an insemination period or a contraception period.
More specifically, in the case of mammals, e.g., hogs, the equivalent impedance on the vaginal mucous membrane in a non-ovulation period presents such a stable curve as shown in
FIG. 9
, in which it varies periodically between a zero point and 1.0 k &OHgr; as time elapses, assuming the equivalent impedance of blood as the zero point. The equivalent impedance starts increasing from 42 to 38 hours before ovulation, approaches the equivalent impedance of water infinitely, becomes generally the same as the equivalent impedance of water just before ovulation, and then decreases sharply to a minimum in two to three hours. Accordingly, the conception ratio of insemination is greatly improved by accurately obtaining the equivalent impedance in insemination-appointed mammals and by depositing of preserved semen at appropriate timings selected for the type of the preserved semen.
However, it is hard to actually obtain fine impedance data, as shown in
FIG. 9
, in daily routines at a ranch. That is, since the impedance is measured in such a condition that a plurality of electrodes provided on the extremity of a bar-shaped detecting unit are pressed against the vagina and a voltage is applied to the electrodes, the lack or unstableness of a force for pressing the electrodes against the vagina causes the possible intervening of urine, inflammatory exudate, air, mucus, and the like between the electrodes and the vaginal mucous membrane, which gives rise to a problem in that exact and precise data can not be obtained. Therefore, the accurate measurement of the impedance on the vaginal mucous membrane is need.
Besides, the impedance is measured in every mating season on every objective mammal at regular intervals, e.g., a few hours from approximately 40 hours before ovulation, to store data with a time-variation as shown in
FIG. 9
, for the reason that the timing of ovulation period is predicted and determined on the basis of the stored data. Accordingly, the amount of data on respective objective mammals becomes enormous, which gives rise to a problem in that the data collection is hand- and time-binding as well as burdensome and labor-requiring.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method being capable of accurately measuring impedance for determining semen deposition timings in artificial insemination. Besides, another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method being capable of saving labors and time for the measuring.
The foregoing objects and other objects of the present invention have been achieved by the provision of an ovulation period detecting apparatus for mammals comprising: a bar-shaped detecting unit to be inserted in the vagina of a mammal; a plurality of electrodes arranged on the bar-shape detecting unit so as to be in contact with the vaginal mucous membrane when the bar-shaped detecting unit is inserted in the vagina of the mammal; pressure detecting means for detecting a pressure at which the plurality of electrodes are pressed against the vagina of the mammal; impedance detecting means for applying a voltage across the plurality of electrodes and detecting the value of impedance between the plurality of electrodes when the pressure detecting means detect a pressure equal to or greater than a prescribed pressure over a prescribed time; and data outputting means for outputting the value of the impedance detected by the impedance detecting means.
Besides, the foregoing objects and other objects of the present invention have been achieved by the provision of an ovulation period detecting method for mammals comprising the steps of: pressing a plurality of electrodes of an ovulation period detecting apparatus against the vagina of a mammal at a pressure equal to or greater than a prescribed pressure over a prescribed time, the aforesaid ovulation period detecting apparatus for mammals comprising a bar-shaped detecting unit to be inserted in the vagina of a mammal, the aforesaid plurality of electrodes arranged on the bar-shaped detecting unit so as to be in contact with the vaginal mucous membrane when the bar-shaped detecting unit is inserted in the vagina of the mammal, impedance detecting means for applying a voltage across the aforesaid plurality of electrodes and detecting the value of impedance between the aforesaid plurality of electrodes, and data outputting means for outputting the value of the impedance detected by the aforesaid impedance detecting means; actuating the aforesaid impedance detecting means to detect the value of the impedance between the aforesaid plurality of electrodes; and outputting the value of the impedance via the aforesaid data outputting means.
In addition, the foregoing objects and other objects of the present invention have been achieved by the provision of an an ovulation period detecting apparatus for mammals comprising: a bar-shaped detecting unit to be inserted in the vagina of a mammal; a plurality of electrodes arranged on the bar-shape detecting unit so as to be in contact with the vaginal mucous membrane when the bar-shaped detecting unit is inserted in the vagina of the mammal; voltage generating means for applying a voltage across the aforesaid plurality of electrodes; impedance detecting means for detecting the value of impedance on the aforesaid vaginal mucous membrane between the aforesaid plurality of electrodes having the voltage applied by the voltage generating means; measured data storing means for sorting by objective mammal and storing measured data of the values of the impedance on the aforesaid vaginal mucous membrane detected by the impedance detecting means; and data outputting means for outputting by objective mammal the measured data stored in the measured data storing means in accordance with the measuring time of the measured data.
Moreover, the foregoing objects and other objects of the present invention have been achieved by the provision of an ovulation period detecting apparatus as described above, further comprising automatic storing means for obtaining a rate of change in values of the impedance on the vaginal mucous membrane detected by the impedance detecting means, and storing into the measured data storing means a value of the impedance at the moment where the rate of change has become equal to or smaller than a prescribed set value.
Furthermore, the foregoing objects and other objects of the present invention have been achieved by the provision of an ovulation period detecting means as described above, wherein the automatic storing means further comprises an indicating function for indicating the completion of the measurement on storing into the measured data storing means the value of the impedance at the moment where the rate of change in the values of the impedance on the vaginal mucous membrane detected by the impedance detecting means has become equal to or smaller than the prescribed set value.
Furthermore, the foregoing objects and other objects of the present invention have been achieved by the provision of an ovulation period detecting apparatus as previously described, further comprising: standard data storing means for storing standard data on the time-variations of the impedance on the vaginal mucous membrane over a period from an unfertilizable period to a fertilizab
Hindenburg Max
Leader Technics Co., Ltd.
Weingarten, Schurgin Gagnebin & Hayes LLP
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