Electroactive Pump Body Adapts to Breast Size
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional breast pumps face challenges in achieving optimal suction performance due to varying breast and nipple sizes, leading to discomfort and inefficient milk expression, as they cannot seamlessly adapt to individual user needs and require manual massage for stimulation.
Innovation Solution
A breast pump apparatus with a deformable actuator element made of electroactive materials (EAM) that adjusts the pump body's shape and size in response to control signals, ensuring optimal suction characteristics and incorporating a massage function for improved milk expression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-size pump body is used, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different breast and nipple sizes, leading to poor suction performance and user discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The pump body is transformed from a fixed structure to a dynamic, deformable structure using electroactive polymer (EAP) actuator elements. These actuators can change the pump body's shape and volume in real-time based on breast size and firmness, enabling adaptation without requiring multiple fixed-size devices. The EAP materials respond to electrical signals by deforming, allowing the pump body to dynamically adjust its internal volume and external shape.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the pump body by using electroactive materials that alter the pump volume and shape through electrical actuation. The EAP actuators modify key parameters such as pump volume, shape, and firmness, allowing the same device to adapt to different user needs without changing the basic device structure.
2Reliability
If the inlet portion is pushed against the breast to achieve good vacuum, then suction performance improves, but user discomfort and irritation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet portion is made dynamically adjustable through EAP actuator elements that can change its shape and volume. Instead of requiring manual pushing to achieve a seal, the actuators automatically adjust the inlet portion's firmness and shape to match the breast, creating an effective seal without excessive pressure or user discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump body performs self-adjustment through the EAP actuators that automatically modify the inlet portion's shape and volume based on the breast characteristics. This eliminates the need for manual adjustment by the user, and the system self-optimizes the fit and seal to achieve good suction performance without causing discomfort.
3Productivity
If manual massage is performed to stimulate milk expression, then milk volume increases, but the operation becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The massage function is merged with the pumping function by integrating EAP actuator elements into the pump body and inlet portion. These same actuators that adjust the pump volume also perform massage by rhythmically deforming the inlet portion against the breast, combining two functions into one system and eliminating the need for separate manual massage operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs massage automatically through the EAP actuators that rhythmically deform the inlet portion without user intervention. The control system manages the massage sequence and timing, freeing the user from manual massage operations while maintaining the beneficial stimulation effect on milk expression.
4Reliability
If the pump volume is fixed, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate different nipple sizes, affecting vacuum build-up and suction performance
Solution Approach 1:
The pump volume is transformed from a fixed parameter to a dynamically adjustable one using EAP actuators. These materials change the pump body's internal volume through electrical actuation, allowing the system to optimize vacuum build-up for different nipple sizes without requiring multiple fixed-volume devices or complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms.
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 apparatus provides improved fit and suction performance, reduces user discomfort, and enhances milk expression efficiency by adapting to individual breast shapes and sizes, while also offering a more effective massage mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
an actuator element comprising an active material capable of deforming upon application of a control signal to it and configured to have a bi-stable or multi-stable configuration, wherein deformation of the actuator element modifies at least one of a shape and size of the pump volume
Data Source
AI summary
Based in the field of breastfeeding, a breast pump apparatus (100) for expressing breast milk is disclosed. The breast pump apparatus (100) comprises a container unit (110) for receiving expressed breast milk, and a pump unit (120) including a pump body (130) and a pumping device (140) for applying negative pressure to a pump volume defined by the pump body (130). The pump body (130) comprises an inlet portion (132) adapted to be received on a female breast and an outlet portion (134) adapted to channel expressed milk to the container unit (110). The pump body (130) comprises an actuator element (200, 300, 400) comprising an active material capable of deforming upon application of a control signal to it, wherein deformation of the actuator element modifies at least one of a shape and size of the pump volume.