Breast Pump Segmented Milking Part and Pressure Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional breast pumps face contamination risks due to incomplete liquid-tight separation between the negative pressure space and the pump, leading to potential bacterial growth and inconvenience in handling, storage, and cleaning, and the bonded structure between sealed spaces complicates handling and hygiene.
Innovation Solution
A breast pump design featuring a conically-shaped milking part with a deformable pressure transmission part that completely separates the sealed space from the pressure changing means, allowing easy attachment and detachment for improved hygiene and handling, using a case with attaching/detaching means for the pressure transmission part to prevent milk from reaching the pump and facilitate cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a valve body is used to close the opening in the connection means, then breast milk flow toward the pump is prevented, but complete liquid-tight separation is not achieved and contamination risk remains
Solution Approach 1:
The breast pump is divided into two separable parts: a milking part (primary side) that forms the sealed space and a pump part (secondary side) containing the pressure changing means. This segmentation allows complete liquid-tight separation while maintaining effective prevention of breast milk flow during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
A deformable part acts as an intermediary between the milking part and pump part. This deformable membrane transmits pressure changes from the pump to the sealed space while maintaining liquid-tight separation, preventing direct contact between breast milk and the pump.
2Reliability
If the primary side and secondary side are structurally bonded together, then liquid-tight separation is achieved, but handling, storage, and cleaning become inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The breast pump is designed as separable components (milking part and pump part) that can be easily attached and detached. During operation, they form a liquid-tight seal, but can be separated for convenient handling, storage, and cleaning without compromising the liquid-tight separation when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the milking part and pump part is designed to be dynamically changeable - firmly connected during operation to maintain liquid-tight separation, but easily separable when operation is complete. The attaching/detaching means allows quick transition between connected and separated states.
3Ease of operation
If the opening is kept open for pressure transmission, then pressure changes can be transmitted to the sealed space, but breast milk can flow into the pump
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable part serves as a pressure-transmitting intermediary that allows pressure changes from the pump to be transmitted to the sealed space while maintaining liquid-tight separation. Breast milk cannot pass through the deformable membrane, yet pressure transmission remains effective.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible deformable membrane is used to separate the sealed space from the pump while allowing pressure transmission. The thin film deforms in response to pressure changes, transmitting the pressure effect to the sealed space while preventing liquid passage.
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 effectively prevents breast milk from contaminating the pressure changing means, reduces the risk of bacterial growth, and simplifies handling, storage, and cleaning by allowing easy separation and detachment of components, enhancing hygiene and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure transmission part for transmitting pressure changed by the pressure changing means
Implementation Method 2
the pressure transmission part has a deformable part where a cubic content or volume in the sealed space or the space communicated with the sealed space is deformed by a pressure change generated by the pressure changing means
Implementation Method 3
the milking part is disposed so as to liquid-tightly separate a sealed space formed by abutting the milking part against the breast of the user when milking, or a space that is communicated with the sealed space, and the pressure changing means from each other
Implementation Method 4
negative pressure forming means, such as a pump, for creating negative pressure in a space formed by abutting the breast against the horn part
Implementation Method 5
The breast milk suctioned into the negative pressure space
Data Source
AI summary
A breast pump can be configured to be capable of easily attaching/detaching a primary side serving as a sealed space which is in communication with a milking space and allows the passage of breast milk, with a secondary side in which a case is connected with a pressure changing apparatus. The breast pump can include a breast pump main body connected to the pressure changing apparatus by a conduit, wherein a milking part is disposed so as to liquid-tightly separate a sealed space (or a space that is in fluid communication with the sealed space), and the pressure changing apparatus from each other. A pressure transmission part for transmitting pressure changed by the pressure changing apparatus can be provided. The pressure transmission part can include a deformable part where a volume in the sealed space can be deformed by a pressure fluctuation generated by the pressure changing apparatus. A case can accommodate the deformable part and be connected with the pressure changing apparatus at one end, and the other end of the case can include attachment structure for communicably attaching/detaching the case with the portion of the milking part that forms the sealed space.