Breast Milk Pumping and Storage System with Sterile Direct-Connect Container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for breast milk donation and administration are often hygienically compromised and inefficient, leading to potential contamination and loss of milk, and lack effective tracking and quality control mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that utilize a sterile, fluidly connected container with an identifier for breast milk, allowing safe, efficient pumping, storage, and administration, while enabling tracking and quality control through online storage and blockchain documentation, and incorporating features for treatment and fortification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If breast milk is transferred repeatedly between containers, then the breast milk can be stored and transported, but hygienic contamination occurs and the breast milk becomes unusable
Solution Approach 1:
A sterile container is provided in advance to the donor, which is then directly connected to the breast pump for single-use collection. This preliminary preparation of sterile equipment eliminates the need for subsequent transfers and maintains hygienic safety throughout the process.
Solution Approach 2:
The breast pump is designed with an integrated container that can be directly connected to the pump mechanism. This nesting of the container within the pump system allows for direct collection and storage without external transfers, preventing contamination and milk loss.
2Productivity
If a long line is used between the breast and container, then the breast milk can be collected, but a large residual volume remains in the line and milk is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The line connecting the breast to the container is designed with a curved or coiled configuration instead of a straight line. This curvature allows the line to be shorter in actual length while maintaining sufficient routing, thereby reducing the residual volume of milk that remains trapped in the line after collection.
3Device complexity
If manual handling and tracking of breast milk donations are used, then the process is simple, but hygienic contamination risk increases and quality control is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Manual tracking and handling of breast milk donations are replaced with an automated identification and data management system. Each container has a machine-readable identifier that automatically records donation information, storage conditions, and quality parameters, eliminating manual errors and maintaining hygienic safety through automated processes.
4Ease of manufacture
If the container is not pre-packaged in sterile conditions, then the preparation process is simpler, but hygienic contamination occurs during filling
Solution Approach 1:
The container is pre-packaged in sterile conditions before being provided to the donor. This preliminary sterilization ensures that the container is ready for direct connection to the breast pump without requiring additional sterilization steps during the donation process, maintaining both simplicity and hygienic safety.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method and a device for processing breast milk, in which a breast pump is applied to the female breast and operated to express breast milk and transfer it into a container. The container is closed, and the container is provided with an identifier. This identifier is generated and assigned to the container. To prevent any contamination of the breast milk, it is made available for feeding within the container.The device according to the invention for treating breast milk has a receptacle for a container holding breast milk and a closing device for closing the container, a device for treating the breast milk contained in the container to improve the shelf life of the breast milk, a device for determining the quantity of breast milk contained in the container, a reading device for reading an identifier provided on the container or an attachment device for attaching an identifier to the container and an interface for transmitting information to an online storage device that identifies the identifier and the determined quantity of breast milk.