Breast Pump Vacuum System Using Pressure Tank Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing breast pump devices face challenges in achieving high vacuum levels while maintaining cost-effectiveness and compact design, as higher vacuum requirements often necessitate larger or more expensive pump types.
Innovation Solution
The use of a directional control valve and a pressure tank allows for switching the pressure tank between the pump's inlet and outlet, enhancing the achievable vacuum level by maintaining a constant pressure volume and adapting to varying pressure conditions, thereby boosting the overall pressure decrease.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a higher level of vacuum is required, then a different type of pump is required, but the breast pump device becomes larger and/or more expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two functional stages: a first pump for rough evacuation and a second pump for final high vacuum. This segmentation allows each pump to be optimized for its specific function, enabling high vacuum levels without requiring a single large, complex pump
Solution Approach 2:
The first pump performs preliminary evacuation to remove the bulk of the gas from the system before the second pump operates. This preliminary action reduces the load on the second pump, allowing it to achieve high vacuum levels more efficiently with a smaller, less expensive design
2Stress or pressure
If a pump is designed to provide higher vacuum levels, then the pump size increases, but compact design is required for breast pump devices
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum generation function is segmented across two pumps of different sizes and capabilities. The smaller second pump can be optimized for compact design since it only needs to handle the final vacuum stage after the first pump has done the heavy lifting
Solution Approach 2:
The first pump performs the excessive action of removing the majority of gas molecules, allowing the second pump to operate with partial action to achieve the final vacuum level. This enables the second pump to be smaller and more compact
3Stress or pressure
If a single pump is used to achieve high vacuum, then manufacturing costs increase, but cost-effective manufacturing is desired
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the vacuum generation task between two pumps, allowing the use of less expensive pump types for each stage rather than requiring a single expensive high-performance pump. The first pump handles rough vacuum while the second pump achieves high vacuum, reducing overall manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses relatively simple, cost-effective pump designs for each stage rather than investing in a single expensive, complex pump. The modular approach allows for more economical manufacturing while achieving the same performance
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
This configuration enables the generation of a higher vacuum level than conventional pumps, ensuring efficient milk extraction while maintaining a compact and cost-effective design for breast pump devices.
Implementation Method 1
a pump (5) for generating a decrease of pressure between an inlet (7) and an outlet (9)
Implementation Method 2
a pressure tank (11) for preserving an applied pressure value
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an apparatus for evacuating a collection container, comprising a pump, the pump being suitable for being in connection with the collection container with its inlet, a pressure tank and a directional control valve, the pump transporting a medium out of the collection container and the pressure tank into the atmosphere when the pressure tank is connected to its inlet, wherein the directional control valve is configured to switch the pressure tank from the inlet to the outlet of the pump when a predefined criterion is fulfilled. The present invention further relates to a breast pump device comprising an apparatus for evacuating a collection container and a receiving funnel for receiving a beast of a woman.