Breast Shield Sensor Placement for Milk Flow Measurement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing breast pump systems face inaccuracies in measuring milk flow due to irregular milk flow, air-milk mixtures, and interference from media separation membranes, which affect the precision of milk quantity and flow rate measurements.
Innovation Solution
A breast shield unit with a siphon arrangement in the milk channel and sensors placed after the siphon to detect milk packets, allowing for clear separation of air and milk, enabling accurate measurement of milk flow and composition by detecting the air/milk interface at the beginning and end of each packet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensors are placed in the milk flow to detect milk packets, then milk flow detection is enabled, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to air-milk mixtures and varying flow amounts
Solution Approach 1:
The milk channel is segmented into a first section (upstream of siphon) and a second section (downstream of siphon). Sensors are placed only in the second section where milk flow is separated from air, eliminating measurement interference from air-milk mixtures while maintaining continuous monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A siphon arrangement acts as an intermediary device between the milk source and sensors. It separates air and milk, allowing sensors to detect only pure milk flow in the second section, thereby improving measurement accuracy by eliminating air-mixture interference.
2Reliability
If a media separation membrane is used to protect the breast pump from contamination, then protection is provided, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to membrane movement affecting check valve behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into a first section (upstream of siphon) where the media separation membrane and check valve are located, and a second section (downstream of siphon) where sensors are placed. This segmentation isolates the sensors from the membrane's harmful effects while maintaining the membrane's protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The siphon arrangement serves as an intermediary that transfers milk from the first section (affected by membrane) to the second section (sensor zone). This intermediary placement protects sensors from membrane-induced measurement errors while preserving the membrane's contamination protection role.
3Quantity of substance
If sensors are placed in the milk collection container to measure collected milk, then large volume measurements are enabled, but small amount measurements (up to 30 ml) become unsuitable
Solution Approach 1:
Milk is pre-separated from air using the siphon arrangement before reaching the collection container. Sensors in the second section detect milk packets at the air/milk interface early in the flow path, enabling accurate measurement of small volumes before they mix with air or reach the container bottom where measurement precision degrades.
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 solution provides precise measurement of milk quantity and flow rate, as well as macronutrient composition, by separating air and milk, and is not influenced by changing vacuum pressures or media separation membranes.
Implementation Method 1
A siphon is arranged in the milk channel, and the at least one sensor for detecting the breast milk is arranged downstream of the siphon in the direction of breast milk flow
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6a~6d
AI summary
A breastshield unit of a breast pump for expressing human breast milk has a breastshield (1) to be placed onto a mother's breast, a milk collection container (4) for receiving expressed breast milk, a breastshield adapter (2) for connecting the breastshield (1) to the milk collection container (4), and at least one sensor (6, 7) for detecting the breast milk. A milk duct extends from the breastshield into the milk collection container via the breastshield adapter. A siphon is arranged in the milk duct and the at least one sensor (6, 7) for detecting the breast milk is arranged downstream of the siphon in the flow direction of the breast milk. The breastshield unit enables an optimal measurement of properties of the expressed breast milk.