Breast Pump Linear Suction Control via Deformable Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional breast pumps face difficulties in adjusting suction pressure linearly, leading to steep gradients and poor reproducibility during milk expression, making it challenging to fine-tune the negative pressure effectively.
Innovation Solution
A breast pump design featuring a deformable member and pressure adjustment mechanism, where the user can adjust the suction pressure by rotating a dial, allowing the stopper or partial tubular section to project and change the deformation of the deformable member, enabling linear adjustment of negative pressure without steep gradients.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the diameter of the leakage opening is adjusted by rotating a dial to control air leakage volume, then the negative pressure can be adjusted, but the suctioning pressure increases suddenly with a steep gradient making fine adjustment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameter being adjusted from opening diameter (conventional) to deformable member deformation amount (novel). This parameter transformation converts the nonlinear relationship between dial rotation and pressure into a linear relationship, enabling fine and predictable pressure adjustment. The deformable member's gradual deformation allows users to precisely control negative pressure without sudden changes, directly resolving the steep gradient problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable member acts as an intermediary between the dial adjustment mechanism and the sealed space. Instead of directly changing the leakage opening diameter, the dial controls the deformable member's deformation, which in turn gradually modulates the air leakage volume. This intermediary mechanism smooths the pressure adjustment process, eliminating sudden pressure changes and enabling precise control during milk expression.
2Reliability
If the opening surface area is altered to adjust air leakage volume, then negative pressure adjustment is possible, but the reproduction of adjustment settings is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transforms the adjustment parameter from opening surface area to deformable member deformation amount. This parameter change enables reproducible adjustments because the deformable member's deformation can be precisely controlled and maintained at specific positions. The linear relationship between deformation amount and air leakage volume allows users to reliably return to previously set pressure levels, significantly improving adjustment reproducibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable member is pre-configured with specific deformation characteristics and material properties that enable predictable and reproducible deformation behavior. By designing the deformable member with appropriate elasticity and dimensional stability, the system ensures that the same dial position consistently produces the same deformation amount and corresponding negative pressure, allowing users to reproduce their preferred settings reliably.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables user-controlled, linear adjustment of suction pressure during milk expression, allowing for precise and easy manipulation of negative pressure, improving the reproducibility and usability of the breast pump.
Implementation Method 1
a deformable member, which is provided so as liquid-tightly separate a sealed space formed by abutment of the milk expressing section against the user's breast or a space connected to the sealed space, from the pressure changing means or structure, and which is capable of deforming in order to adjust the negative pressure state of the milk expressing section by transmission of the pressure that is changed by the pressure changing means or structure
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosed subject matter provides a breast pump in which, by the use of an operation performed by a user, the negative pressure (suctioning pressure) can be adjusted in accordance with the amount of the operation in a linear fashion without the occurrence of a steep gradient, and the negative pressure can be readily adjusted even during the expression of milk.