Hands-Free Breast Pump with Flow Separation Membrane
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional breast pumps either require continuous manual effort and discomfort due to the need to hold the device or cause discomfort because they need to be continuously held, limiting the user's ability to use both hands freely.
Innovation Solution
A breast pump design that allows for hands-free operation by integrating a contact housing with a protruding part, a cap connector, a storage housing, and a flow separation membrane, enabling the device to be worn inside a bra, with a linking pathway for easy cleaning and maintenance, and preventing backflow of breast milk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If manual breast pump is used, then no power source is needed, but repeated hand pressing is required and sufficient air pressure cannot be generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical pumping system with an electric motor-driven pneumatic system. The motor drives a piston or diaphragm mechanism that generates controlled vacuum pressure, eliminating the need for manual hand pressing while providing sufficient and consistent air pressure for effective milk extraction.
2Power
If electric breast pump is used, then air pressure is sufficient, but the bottle must be continuously held causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the breast pump system into separable components: a pump unit that generates vacuum pressure and a collection bottle that stores milk. The pump unit can be detached from the bottle, allowing the user to hold only the lightweight pump unit against the breast while the bottle is supported separately or by a partner, reducing hand fatigue and discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a flexible connecting tube as an intermediary between the pump unit and collection bottle. This tube allows the pump unit to be positioned close to the breast for effective pumping while the bottle can be held at a more comfortable position or supported by another person, enabling hands-free or reduced-hand operation.
3Device complexity
If integrated housing is used, then structure is compact, but cleaning and maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the breast pump housing into multiple separable components including the pump unit, collection bottle, connecting tube, and breast shield. Each component can be easily detached from others, allowing thorough cleaning of all surfaces and channels without disassembling complex integrated structures. The modular design maintains compactness when assembled while enabling simple cleaning when separated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the milk collection bottle and connecting tube as separate removable components from the main pump housing. This allows the bottle and tube to be easily removed for cleaning and maintenance without affecting the pump mechanism, solving the problem of difficult cleaning in integrated designs while maintaining a compact overall structure when components are assembled.
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 a nursing mother to use both hands freely during pumping, facilitates easy cleaning and maintenance, and prevents breast milk from flowing back, enhancing user comfort and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
a flow separation membrane configured to separate the space between the funnel connector and the lid
Implementation Method 2
a vacuum pump in the form of a rubber ball for generating air pressure in the inhaler
Implementation Method 3
since the pressure of pumping changes air pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A breast pump is disclosed. According to an aspect of a present invention, there is provided the breast pump comprising a contact housing comprising a protruding part configured to correspond to a mother's nipple and extend toward a front; a cap connector coupled to cover the protruding part to form a first inner space; a funnel connector on the cap connector to form a second inner space; a linking pathway between the funnel connector and the cap connector and configured to link the second inner space of the funnel connector with the first inner space of the cap connector; a storage housing comprising a coupling hole to correspond to the second inner space of the funnel connector and coupled with the contact housing; a lid coupled to cover the second inner space of the funnel connector through the coupling hole of the storage housing; a flow separation membrane configured to divide and separate the second inner space between the funnel connector and the lid; an air pathway in the lid through which air flows into and out from a space between the lid and the flow separation membrane; and an attachable pump module on the lid to suck the air between the lid and the flow separation membrane through the air pathway, wherein the attachable pump module is integrally coupled with the lid to be detachably coupled to the coupling hole.