Breast Pump Insert with Malleable Liner for Suckling Mimicry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current breast pumps cause discomfort and inefficiency in milk expression, leading to pain, nipple damage, and reduced milk collection, as they fail to mimic the natural suckling rhythm and often result in a poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
A breast pump insert with an inner malleable liner that changes shape during pumping, forming a continuous restricting funnel to provide intermittent negative pressure, mimicking the suckling effect of a baby by pivoting and compressing to reduce friction and promote milk production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a rigid breast cap is used for pumping, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it causes pain and nipple damage to mothers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a flexible membrane at the throat of the breast cap that can deform under vacuum pressure. This membrane replaces the rigid contact surface with a compliant one that adapts to the breast and nipple shape, eliminating the harmful rubbing and pressure points caused by rigid structures while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The breast cap incorporates a dynamic element - the flexible membrane that changes shape during operation. Under vacuum, the membrane deforms to conform to the breast tissue, creating a adaptive sealing surface that moves with the breast rather than imposing fixed pressure points, thereby preventing nipple damage.
2Productivity
If intermittent negative pressure pumping is applied, then milk expression is achieved, but pain and discomfort occur due to forceful suction
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane at the throat deforms under intermittent negative pressure to create a gentler, more distributed suction pattern. Instead of forceful concentrated suction on the nipple, the membrane conforms to the breast shape and distributes the vacuum pressure across a larger area, reducing pain while maintaining milk flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the contact surface from rigid to flexible, allowing it to dynamically adjust its shape and pressure distribution in response to vacuum levels. This parameter change enables the system to maintain effective milk expression while reducing harmful pressure concentrations.
3Productivity
If the breast cap repeatedly sucks up the nipple and areola, then milk is drawn into the container, but the skin is rubbed raw and bleeding occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane prevents the rigid tube portion from directly contacting and rubbing the nipple. The membrane acts as a protective interface that deforms to accommodate nipple movement and positioning, eliminating the mechanical friction and repeated trauma caused by rigid structures while maintaining the vacuum seal needed for milk collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible membrane serves as an intermediary between the rigid breast cap structure and the soft breast tissue. It mediates the interaction by providing a compliant sealing surface that prevents direct contact between hard edges and delicate skin, thereby preventing rubbing and bleeding while still enabling effective vacuum application for milk extraction.
4Device complexity
If a fixed shaped funnel is used, then the device is simple, but it does not collect as much milk as could be collected
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane allows the funnel throat to dynamically adapt its shape during pumping cycles. This dynamic deformation optimizes the sealing contact with the breast and nipple across different positions and pressure levels, improving vacuum efficiency and milk collection without requiring a complex adjustable structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the rigidity parameter of the funnel throat from fixed to flexible, allowing it to deform and conform to the breast shape. This parameter change improves the sealing efficiency and vacuum distribution, enabling more effective milk collection while maintaining a simple single-piece structure.
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 insert significantly reduces pain and discomfort, enhances milk flow efficiency, and provides a more comfortable experience by approximating the suckling reflex, thereby improving milk production and reducing nipple damage.
Implementation Method 1
providing intermittent pumping for drawing breast milk into a connected container
Implementation Method 2
an inner malleable liner located at least partially within the outer frame and in use forming a contact surface to the breast
Data Source
AI summary
A breast pump funnel integral or engageable with a breast pump providing intermittent pumping for drawing breast milk into a connected container, the breast pump funnel having: an outer frame and an inner malleable liner located at least partially within the outer frame and, in use, forming a contact surface to the breast. The outer frame, the inner malleable liner or both form a continuous restricting funnel for receiving an intermittent negative pressure pumping.