Breast Pump Venting Channel to Reduce Milk Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Breast pumps with cyclic diaphragm pumps and rigid milk containers experience milk leakage due to excess pressure when tilted or angled, as existing vent holes allow milk to escape.
Innovation Solution
A venting channel with a first end open to the milk container cavity and a second end open to the environment, extending along the connecting element, with a length and volume designed to minimize milk escape by increasing the path length and reducing the cross-sectional area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vent hole is positioned as high as possible at the connection point of the connecting element to the milk container, then air can escape to relieve excess pressure, but milk can still leak and be lost when the breast pump is held at an angle or the pumping person leans forward
Solution Approach 1:
The venting channel extends along the connecting element from the milk container cavity toward the nipple tunnel, utilizing the longitudinal dimension of the connecting element. This dimensional extension creates a path that utilizes gravity and surface tension effects, ensuring that milk must travel upward against gravity through the channel rather than escaping horizontally or downward, thereby preventing milk leakage while maintaining pressure relief functionality
2Productivity
If a vent hole is provided in the connecting element to relieve excess pressure, then pumping can continue, but the vent hole causes milk to leak from the milk container
Solution Approach 1:
The venting channel is designed with specific local characteristics: it has a smaller cross-sectional area than a typical vent hole, it extends along the connecting element rather than being a simple opening, and it is positioned to utilize the gravitational field. These local quality modifications ensure that air can escape effectively to maintain pumping continuity while the channel geometry prevents milk from leaking out
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
Significantly reduces milk leakage by ensuring milk must travel a longer path and encounter a smaller outlet, even when the breast pump is tilted or angled, maintaining effective pumping.
Implementation Method 1
the vent channel allows excess pressure in the cavity to be relieved
Implementation Method 2
the path through the vent channel must first be traveled, especially if part of this path is upward
Implementation Method 3
the flow through the channel is limited
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Breast pump (1), comprising - a milk container (2) with a cavity (3) for receiving pumped milk; - a breast shield (4) which has a breast funnel (5) and a nipple tunnel (6); - a connecting element (7) which connects an opening (8) to the cavity (3) of the milk container (2) with the nipple tunnel (6); - a venting channel (9), the first end (10) of which is open to the cavity (3) of the milk container (2) and the second end (11) of which is open to the environment, wherein at least a section of the venting channel (9) runs along the connecting element (7).