Breast Pump Diaphragm Sealing and Air Chamber Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing breast pumping systems suffer from low pumping power due to small air chambers and piezo air-pumps, and are prone to air leakage due to flexible valve deformation and improper mounting, affecting the pumping efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A breast pumping system design featuring a larger cuboidal diaphragm, a detachable cover with a vent pipe, and a sealing sleeve to prevent air leakage, along with a compact air pump mechanism using a motor, one-way valve, and eccentric wheel for enhanced pumping power and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a piezo air-pump with small size is used, then the device size is reduced, but the pumping power becomes relatively low
Solution Approach 1:
The air pump is divided into two independent chambers: a first air chamber for generating negative pressure and a second air chamber for generating positive pressure. This segmentation allows each chamber to be optimized for its specific function, improving overall pumping efficiency while maintaining a compact form factor suitable for portable devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The air pump operates through periodic alternation between negative pressure generation and positive pressure generation phases. The diaphragm reciprocates between deformed and restored states, creating periodic pressure cycles that enhance pumping power while keeping the device size manageable through efficient cyclic operation.
2Reliability
If a flexible valve is used to resist against an opening of a nipple passage to realize self-sealing, then the sealing function is achieved, but air leakage occurs when the shield is not mounted in place or the flexible valve is deformed
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the flexible valve and transferred to a dedicated sealing ring. The sealing ring is positioned at the port of the pipe where the shield connects, providing reliable sealing that prevents air leakage even when the shield is improperly mounted or the flexible valve deforms over time.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealing ring is introduced as an intermediary element between the pipe port and the shield. This sealing ring acts as a mediator that ensures reliable sealing and prevents air leakage, addressing the limitations of using only a flexible valve for sealing purposes.
3Volume of moving object
If the diaphragm is disc-shaped and fitted with a rear wall of the housing to form an air chamber, then the structure is compact, but the air chamber is small in size and pumping power is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The air chamber geometry transitions from a two-dimensional disc shape to a three-dimensional cavity structure. The diaphragm is positioned within a defined spatial volume in the housing, creating a larger three-dimensional air chamber that enhances pumping power while maintaining overall device compactness through efficient spatial arrangement.
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
The system achieves improved pumping power and reduced air leakage, ensuring efficient milk collection with enhanced sealing and ease of assembly and disassembly, while minimizing product size and cost.
Implementation Method 1
the diaphragm is at least partially distortable in shape and is capable of isolating air from the vent pipe from milk inside the receiving chamber of the pipe
Implementation Method 2
when the air pump acts on the air chamber through the vent pipe, the diaphragm is distorted so as to form a negative pressure inside the receiving chamber of the pipe, accordingly the milk from the passage flows into the storing chamber of the milk container after passing through the receiving chamber and the lower port successively
Implementation Method 3
the diaphragm is at least partially distortable in shape and is capable of isolating air from the vent pipe from milk inside the receiving chamber of the pipe; when the air pump acts on the air chamber through the vent pipe, the diaphragm is distorted
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention discloses a breast pumping system comprising a housing, an air pump, a milk container, a pipe, a diaphragm, a shield and a cover, wherein, when the air pump acts on the air chamber through the vent pipe, the diaphragm is distorted so as to form a negative pressure inside the receiving chamber of the pipe, accordingly the milk from the passage flows into the storing chamber of the milk container after passing through the receiving chamber and the lower port successively. The air chamber can be manufactured larger in size so as to improve the pumping effect of the breast pump. When the air pump is an air pump with large pumping force, the pumping power can be further increased, and the pumping effect of the breast pump can be improved. The diaphragm is directly sealed to the cover, so that the sealing effect is good, it is not easy to cause air leakage, and the structure is reasonable and reliable.