FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970
(39 OF 1970) &
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See SECTION 10, RULE 13)
1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
FOOT-LENGTH CALIPER FOR ACCURATE MEASUREMENT OF FOOT LENGTH AND SCREENING OF BITH WEIGHT GROUPS
2. APPLICANTS
NAME: KRISHNA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES
NATIONALITY: DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY DECLARED U/s 3
OF UGC ACT, 1956 VIDE NOTOFICATION NO. F.9-15/2001-U-3 OF THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, GOVT. OF INDIA
ADDRESS: KRISHNA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES,
NEAR DHEBEWADI ROAD, MALKARPUR, KARAD
MAHARASHTRA, INDIA
3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
PROVISIONAL COMPLETE
The following Specification
N/A particularly describes the nature of
this invention and the manner in
which it is to be performed:
4. TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to medical science and more particularly to the field of pediatrics wherein a foot length caliper is devised which will measure the length of foot from heel to tip of the great toe.
This caliper will be useful for screening of the baby and categorizing it into grades of birth weights, as 1500gm, 1500 to 1999 gm, 2000-2499 gm, and above >. 2500.
5. BACKGROUND
Birth weight of the baby is one of the most important parameters to judge the growth of the fetus in the uterus and is related to survival of the baby in neonatal period. By knowing the birth weight the baby can be categorized into different weight groups. The strategies for care and referral of the baby differ with the birth weight of the baby. Babies below 1500gm need intensive care in neonatal intensive care unit at hospital. Between 1500 to 2000 gm baby can be cared at primary health center/ first referral unit/ rural hospital/ community health center, between 2000-2500 the babies can be cared at home with home visits of health auxiliaries and training of the mother.
At present about 60 to 70% deliveries in rural areas take place in primary health centers or hospitals with facility of weighing of the baby. In case of deliveries taking place at home very often the health worker can reach the place of delivery only after the information about delivery is obtained by the health worker after a few days delay. The birth weight is valid only if it is taken within 24 hours of birth. Foot length is known to be associated with birth weight and can be used as a proxy for birth weight. It is not affected by time lapse of few days like weight of the baby, hence can be considered as good alternative for weighing of babies at birth for home deliveries.
There could be observer error in measuring foot length when measured by measuring tape. Impressions of foot with ink can very depending upon the pressure applied to the peripheral areas of the foot resulting in variation in length readings of the same foot.
6. SUMMARY
Hence this metal caliper is designed so that the convexity of heel can be
rested on the concavity of the device. The sliding portion of the device can be brought exactly at the upper most point on the convex curvature of the great toe. Reading of length in cm is projected at the upper end of the sliding device. Accurate measurement of length is possible between point A & B lower most part of heel and upper most part of great toe. Since this measurement is actual objective measurement, there is no inter-personal variation. On the other side of the scale four zones are demarked using four colours. Area on the scale of foot length above 7.8 cm is painted green, indicative of birth weight of 2500 and above i.e. normal birth weight. Area between foot length of 7.4 cm upto 7.8 cm is painted yellow and indicates birth weight group of >_ 2000gm to <_2500gm i.e. low birth weight. Area between _cm and _ cm is painted orange and indicate birth weight group of <2000gm to > 1500gm i.e. very low birth weight. Area below cm is painted red and indicates birth weight below 1500gm i.e. extreme low birth weight.
The caliper is able to fix the two extreme ends of the foot length and measure distance between these two extreme ends- namely the lower most point on convex curvature of the heal and the upper most point on the convex curvature of great toe.
The caliper is used as follows:
The foot is placed at the center of the caliper in such a way that convexity will snugly fit in the concavity of the caliper. The sliding portion of the caliper will be brought down towards the foot and make to just touch the great toe without applying any pressure on the great toe. The foot length reading will be given at the upper edge of the sliding portion. Depending upon colour zone of the caliper it will indicate birth weight groups as follows:
, Sr. No. Foot length in cm Colour Birth weight group
1 > 7.8 cm Green Normal birth weight (
more than 2500 gm)
2 Between 7.4 cm and 7.8 cm Yellow Low birth weight (> 2000
gmto < 2500gm
3 Between 6.5 cm and 7.4 cm Orange Very low birth weight (>
1500 gm to < 2000gm
4 Below 6.5 cm Red Very very low birth
weight (below 1500 gm)
The monitoring of the foot length can be continued after birth till it reaches 10 cm ignoring the colour coding of the scale.
7. BEIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWIMGS:
Fig. No. 1 is the schematic representation of the FOOT-LENGTH CALIPER FOR ACCURATE MEASUREMENT OF FOOT LENGTH AND SCREENING OF BIRTHWEIGHT GROUPS.
8. DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Fig. No. 1 shows the main body (1), the slider (2), the scale (3), the hole (4),
the dimple (5), the lip (6), the heel support / stopper (7) and the reading edge («)
The foot length caliper consists of 2 parts namely main body (1) and the slider (2). The main body at the bottom is provided with a semi circular heel support / stopper (7). The slider (2) slides freely on the main body (1). The slider (2) is so design so that the upper edge which is the reading edge (8) of the slider remains perpendicular to the edge of the main body (1). The main body is fitted with a scale (3) in cm. The slider (2) has a lip at the lower edge and is parallel to the reading edge (8). This lip (6) protrudes out from the slider. While taking the measurements, baby's foot is placed in such a way that a heel is rested at lowest point of the heel support / stopper (7) and the slider (2) is made to slide till lip (6) of the slider just touches the highest point of the toe without exerting any pressure on the toe. The reading edge (8) indicates the correct length of the foot with a least count of one millimeter. Zero point of the scale is moved upwards by the distance equal to the distance between the lip (6) and the reading edge (8). This ensures that the distance between the lowest point of the heel support (7) and the lip (6) is correctly indicated by the reading edge (S). The scale (3) on the main body (3) is also colour coded to indicate normal as green, yellow as low, orange as very low and red as very very low birth weight categories.
The main body (1) is provided with a hole (4) at the top and a dimple (5). This dimple (5) acts as a stopper for the slider (2) and doesn't allow the slider (2) to slip out. The hole (4) is provided for placement of the caliper on the wall while not being used. If the colour coading is ignored the same caliper can also be used for measuring foot length correctly of the older baby till its foot length is 10 cm. The colour coading is valid only for measurement of new born baby.
1. The FOOT-LENGTH CALIPER FOR ACCURATE MEASUREMENT OF FOOT LENGTH AND SCREENING OF BIRTH WEIGHT GROUPS can measure foot length using objective criteria with minimum inter personnel variation.
2. The association of foot length and birth weight will be indicated by coloured areas of the scale as green as normal birth weight, yellow as simple low birth weight, orange as very low birth weight and red as extreme low birth weight.
3. Depending on zone of birth weight indicated by the colours on the scale of caliper, interventions at peripheral level can be undertaken by the health workers without memorizing the foot length and birth weights for a particular category, avoiding confusion of cut of points and simplifying referral and care at peripheral level.
4. This is first time such simple low cost equipment is made available at community level where weighing machine-costing thousands of rupees is not readily available.
5. The FOOT-LENGTH CALIPER FOR ACCURATE MEASUREMENT OF FOOT LENGTH AND SCREENING OF BIRTH WEIGHT GROUPS as herein described and with reference to accompanying drawing.