Ergonomic Breast Pump Handle with Supination Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Milk-pumping with conventional breast pumps can require significant effort, leading to prolonged muscle strain in the forearm and hand, particularly affecting the extensor carpi radialis and thenar muscles.
Innovation Solution
A breast pump design featuring a main body with a negative pressure generation mechanism, a pivotal handle, and ergonomic features such as a finger rest and support structure that allows operation in a supination position, reducing muscle load by enabling the user to pump milk with four fingers excluding the thumb and distributing the load across the forearm and body trunk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the handle is operated in a conventional position, then the user can pump milk effectively, but the load on the forearm and hand muscles increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional handle operation position by allowing the handle to be operated in a supination position (palm facing up) rather than the typical pronation position. This inversion changes the muscle engagement pattern, specifically reducing the load on the extensor carpi radialis muscle while maintaining effective pumping action through the supinated forearm position
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new spatial dimension for handle operation by enabling supination (palm facing up) in addition to the conventional pronation position. This dimensional change in hand orientation allows the user to distribute the pumping force across different muscle groups, reducing the concentrated load on the forearm and hand muscles while maintaining effective milk extraction
2Ease of operation
If the handle pivots freely, then the user can operate the pump smoothly, but the forearm position becomes unstable and muscle fatigue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the support structure as an intermediary element between the forearm and the pump body. This support acts as a mediator that provides stable contact points for the forearm, allowing smooth handle operation while preventing excessive pivoting and maintaining forearm position stability throughout the pumping action
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure provides beforehand cushioning by providing pre-positioned contact points for the forearm before the pumping action begins. This预先 support stabilizes the forearm position and prevents muscle fatigue by distributing the mechanical load, allowing smooth operation without excessive pivoting or strain
3Device complexity
If the finger rest is linear, then the structure is simple, but the little finger cannot be properly positioned for handle operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature to the finger rest structure, specifically curving the distal end toward the hood. This curvature allows the little finger to be properly positioned and located close to the thenar eminence, improving grip and handle operation while maintaining reasonable structural simplicity through a single curved element rather than multiple complex components
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 design significantly reduces the load on the forearm and hand muscles during milk-pumping, improving user comfort and reducing muscle fatigue by stabilizing the forearm position and limiting excessive pivoting of the handle.
Implementation Method 1
The diaphragm is configured to generate negative pressure in the internal passage
Data Source
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AI summary
This breast pump includes a main body part that includes an internal passage and a negative pressure generating mechanism that is configured so as to generate a negative pressure in the internal passage for milking, the main body part also including, in a front side thereof, a hood attachment part to which is attached a hood to be fitted to a breast, and comprising, in a lower side thereof, a bottle attachment part to which a bottle for storing the milk is attached. The breast pump also includes a handle that is rotatable with respect to the main body and that is connected to the negative pressure generating mechanism at a base end part near the rotary fulcrum with respect to the main body. The handle includes a finger rest part at a distal end side and extends from the rotary fulcrum toward the front at a side of the main body.