Breast Pump Vacuum Chamber for Stable Baseline Suction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing breast pumps face challenges in maintaining a baseline vacuum without complex mechanisms and preventing milk backflow and vacuum loss, particularly in wearable designs.
Innovation Solution
A breast pump design incorporating a compressible chamber that generates a baseline pressure using an elastic material like silicone, which maintains a constant under-pressure through a restoring force, combined with a one-way valve system to hold the breast shield against the breast.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex mechanism with valves and pressure control is used to maintain baseline vacuum, then the baseline vacuum stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic compressible chamber automatically maintains baseline vacuum through its inherent elastic restoring force without requiring external control systems. The chamber self-regulates pressure by expanding and contracting based on volume changes, eliminating the need for complex active pressure control mechanisms while maintaining reliable vacuum stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the pressure control function from complex mechanical valve systems and replaces it with a passive elastic element. By removing the need for active pressure regulation components, the design achieves baseline vacuum maintenance through the simple elastic properties of the compressible chamber alone.
2Reliability
If additional mechanical components are added to prevent milk backflow and maintain vacuum, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The compressible chamber automatically prevents milk backflow and maintains vacuum pressure through its elastic restoring force without requiring user intervention. The system self-regulates to maintain the pressure differential needed to prevent backflow, enabling true hands-free operation while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If a moveable membrane is used to prevent milk contamination, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compressible chamber serves multiple functions simultaneously: it maintains baseline vacuum pressure, prevents milk backflow through pressure differential, and acts as a massaging element on the breast. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate membranes while maintaining contamination prevention through the pressure control mechanism.
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
Provides a simple and effective solution for maintaining a baseline vacuum and preventing milk backflow, allowing hands-free operation without additional mechanical complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a compressible chamber for manually creating a reduced pressure in the cavity, wherein the compressible chamber is elastic and delivers a restoring force to return to a non-compressed state
Implementation Method 2
a pump for delivering an under pressure to the cavity
Data Source
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AI summary
A breast pump comprises a breast shield for fitting over at least the nipple of a breast thereby to create a cavity over the breast. A pump is used to deliver an under pressure to the cavity. In addition, a compressible chamber is used to manually create a reduced pressure in the cavity, in particular to function as a baseline pressure for holding the breast shield against the breast.