Breast Pump Accessory With Expandable Bladders for Milk Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional electric breast pumps that rely solely on suction power often fail to extract milk efficiently, leading to incomplete extraction and low yield, despite prolonged and uncomfortable pumping sessions.
Innovation Solution
A breast pump accessory system comprising expandable bladders and a circulation system that applies a combination of massage and heat therapy to enhance milk expression, using a brassiere with expandable elements and a circulating pump to deliver fluid for inflation and deflation, mimicking natural nursing motions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional electric breast pumps use only suction power, then the pump structure remains simple, but milk extraction efficiency is low and yield is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (suction, massage, and heat therapy) into a single breast pump system. The massage is achieved through expandable bladders that inflate and deflate to simulate infant hand movements, while heat therapy is provided through a circulating warmed fluid system. This integration resolves the contradiction by improving milk extraction efficiency through multi-modal stimulation while consolidating the system into one unified device.
Solution Approach 2:
The breast pump system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides suction to remove milk, delivers massage through expandable bladders to stimulate milk flow, and applies heat therapy through a circulating fluid system to relax breast tissue and enhance milk expression. This multi-functionality directly addresses the low extraction efficiency problem while maintaining a cohesive system design.
2Ease of operation
If traditional breast pumps rely only on suction, then the device is easy to operate, but pumping sessions are prolonged and uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges suction, massage, and heat therapy into a single integrated system that operates simultaneously. The massage function uses expandable bladders to simulate natural infant hand movements on the breast, while the heat therapy system circulates warmed fluid to relax tissue. This combination accelerates milk expression, reducing the duration of pumping sessions while maintaining ease of operation through automated multi-functional delivery.
3Quantity of substance
If traditional pumps use only suction power, then the system is simple, but milk yield is low despite long pumping sessions
Solution Approach 1:
The breast pump system delivers multiple therapeutic modalities simultaneously: suction for milk removal, massage through expandable bladders to stimulate milk flow from deeper breast tissue, and heat therapy through circulating warmed fluid to relax tissue and enhance expression. This multi-functional approach significantly increases milk yield by addressing multiple physiological factors, while the integrated design keeps the system manageable.
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 system increases milk extraction efficiency and comfort by applying customizable massage patterns and heat, potentially reducing pumping session duration and discomfort.
Implementation Method 1
expandable bladders and a circulation system that applies a combination of massage and heat therapy
Implementation Method 2
a connector configured to couple to a circulating pump that is separate and distinct from the pumping top, which circulating pump circulates warmed liquid to each supply line and receives return liquid from each return line
Data Source
AI summary
A pumping top may include a left panel and a right panel, each of the left panel and the right panel having a bottom edge and being configured to cover a side of a wearer's torso and cover and support a breast of the wearer. Each of the left panel and the right panel may include (i) an expandable bladder configured to contact and partially surround a corresponding breast of the wearer, (ii) a supply line coupled at one end to the bladder and at an opposite end to a connector disposed proximate the bottom edge, and (iii) a return line coupled at one end to the bladder and at an opposite end to the connector. The connector may be configured to couple to a circulating pump that is separate and distinct from the pumping top, which circulates warmed liquid through the pumping top.