Clip-On Light Accessory for Breast Shield Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Women using breast pumps often face difficulties determining if milk is being expressed due to poor lighting, condensation, and non-transparent breast shields, leading to uncertainty and the need to use a free hand for illumination, which limits their ability to manually massage the breast as milk flow slows down.
Innovation Solution
A light accessory device that attaches to the breast shield assembly of a breast pump, featuring a housing with a clip structure and a light source, allowing for directed illumination into the breast shield, freeing up the user's hand for other tasks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a light source is integrated into the breast pump assembly, then illumination of the breast shield is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates a light source, housing, and clip structure into a single accessory device that attaches to the breast pump assembly. This merging of multiple functional elements (light source, mounting mechanism, and positioning structure) into one unit provides illumination without significantly increasing overall system complexity, as the light accessory operates independently while attaching to existing pump components.
Solution Approach 2:
The light accessory device serves as an intermediary component between the user and the breast shield assembly. Rather than integrating the light source directly into the main pump body, the patent uses a separate attachable accessory that couples to the breast shield assembly via a clip structure, providing illumination as a mediating function without permanently modifying the core pump system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the clip structure is made extensible to accommodate different neck sizes, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The clip structure incorporates an extensible mechanism that allows dynamic adjustment to fit different neck diameters of breast shields. The clip can expand and contract to accommodate various sizes while maintaining a secure attachment, providing adaptability through a mechanical design that adjusts to different dimensions rather than requiring multiple fixed-size clips.
Solution Approach 2:
The extensible clip structure changes its dimensional parameters (specifically its circumference or width) to adapt to different neck sizes. This parameter change allows a single clip design to fit multiple breast shield configurations, achieving versatility through a controlled variation in the clip's physical dimensions rather than requiring multiple discrete components.
3Measurement precision
If the light source is positioned to illuminate deep into the neck, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light source is positioned and oriented to provide concentrated illumination specifically at the neck region where milk expression detection is most critical. Rather than providing diffuse lighting across the entire breast shield assembly, the patent focuses light delivery locally to the neck area, improving the ability to observe milk flow while minimizing overall device complexity through targeted rather than comprehensive illumination.
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 device provides reliable illumination, reducing anxiety and allowing the user to manually massage the breast, ensuring continuous milk expression by keeping the hand available for necessary tasks.
Implementation Method 1
a light source disposed within the housing and positionable adjacent to the neck of the breast shield assembly such that the light source selectively directs light towards and into the neck of the breast shield assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A light accessory device couplable to a neck of a breast shield assembly for a breast pump, the light accessory device including: a housing; a clip structure coupled to and extensible from the housing and adapted to selectively couple the housing to the neck of the breast shield assembly; and a light source disposed within the housing and positionable adjacent to the neck of the breast shield assembly such that the light source selectively directs light towards and into the neck of the breast shield assembly or towards a breast shield of the breast shield assembly or another component of the breast pump. In addition or alternatively, the clip structure is pivotably coupled to the housing.