Conventional breast pumps for consumers are mechanical devices that lactating mothers use to extract milk from their breasts. These devices may be manual in nature (as such powered by hand or foot movements), or automatic devices powered by electricity. Usage of the device allows parents to continue breastfeeding without expressing milk in the same location as the infant. A breast pump may also be used to stimulate lactation for women with low milk supply. Breast pumps may also be used to address a range of challenges parents may encounter during breast feeding including latching, separation from an infant in intensive care, to feed an infant who cannot extract sufficient milk itself from the breast, to avoid passing medication through breast milk to the baby, or to relieve engorgement, a painful condition whereby the breasts are overfull.
While these breast pumps do have their advantages, they also have some disadvantages. For example, such breast pumps typically need to be in operation within access of an electrical wall socket, and in hand by the user. Such breast pumps also generally do not have the necessary portability to quickly assemble and operate should the need arise, due to bad ergonomics. Finally, current breast pump designs do not allow for direct feeding to the infant such as in scenarios where the mother could not directly face the child.
Accordingly, it can be seen that there is an opportunity to improve the operation of these breast pumps by underburdening the mothers’ hands (e.g. in holding the device while operational) and improving convenience on the part of the consumer (e.g. by increasing range in which a mother can feed the infant, allowing easy transport of the device, easy cleaning, and increasing suitable areas where they can safely express their milk ). It is to the provision of solutions to these and other problems that the present invention is primarily directed.
The device will have the convenience of the user as the main consideration in its design:
Generally described, the present invention relates to a breast pump that allows for the feeding of an infant, from a suction device from the mother’s breast, relaying it through a tube, towards a pacifier in which the infant is attached to. This arrangement includes at least one set of sensors in the pacifier component and electrical pump that extracts the fluid from the mother’s breast.
The expressed milk will be received first via the suction component where the shape of which delivers sufficient negative pressure to deliver the milk. This fluid is relayed via a food-grade tube where on the other end waits the pacifier component.. A set location in between the suction component and the pacifier component rests the peristaltic pump component that starts, controls, and regulates the movement of fluid from the suction component to the pacifier component and therefore the infant.
The delivery of the milk is kept in optimal pressures via a control system. This system includes but is not limited to buttons articulating on/off, increase/decrease pressure, timer, and the like.. A sensor is also integrated within the pacifier component (delivering end of the device) to make sure that no wastage of breast milk will be made when a child is not present to receive the milk.
The amount of the fluids is managed by a peristaltic pump under which are directed by a controller. The controller on the other hand obtains the input needed to express breast milk via a set of buttons and a screen that serves as the user interface to the user. These buttons include but are not limited to on/off, increase/decrease pressure, timer, battery, and others.
These buttons and screen are located on the top of the invention which allows for easier access to the user, and is powered together with the rest of the internal components. The display would be able to communicate to the user the following, but not limited to, its current power status, pressure mode, remaining power, timer, as well as other features. When not in use or in idle, this screen will turn off to save on battery
The device is to be powered by a series of at least 1 rechargeable battery cell located within the main pump component. The batteries should be able to provide sufficient power to drive the various electronic components needed to extract the breast milk. Additionally, the device allows for a more conventional powering of the device directly from but not limited to an electrical wall outlet, and a vehicular electrical outlet.
The main body of the pump will be cylindrical in shape and is able to fit perfectly in all standard cup holders. The main body shall be the housing for all the electrical components including the user interface, the peristaltic pump, and power supply. Additionally, there will be a hatch to eject the connecting tube from the peristaltic pump within the main body. All of these are to allow the pump to be hands-free from the user for them to focus on more important tasks.
The connecting tube would be of a food-grade variety and is a direct link between breast suction and the pacifier delivery component, in which there would be no diversion into a separate component prior to the delivery of the milk. This allows for an extremely easy cleaning process for the user as the only thing that has physically touched the milk is the tube.
The pacifier delivery component would also have a sensor within the structure of the pacifier which would be able to detect if there is a proper latch on it. This is to ensure that there is minimal wastage of milk and that there would be unnecessary clean-up.
The device as well will be modular in nature in which various components for the receiving and delivery of the expressed milk can be used based on the user’s preference.
Implementation may include one or more of the following features or any of the features described above. For example, the user may opt to increase or decrease the pressure of the breast pump while in operation.
In another implementation where the pump is running, the device may cease operation temporarily to stop wastage as the pacifier-sensor component has detected that the infant has detached from it. The user will be notified via the available screen and also a warning sound.
In another implementation where the user has a set time, the device can be set to a specific length of time in operation only . The device would then cease operation temporarily, and notify the user via the screen and warning sound.
In another implementation, the user can directly pump into storage devices such as bottles for the breast milk should the user desire. This is to provide flexibility in use; similar to the usage of a typical breast pump.
This invention can be utilized in reducing the labor required of a lactating mother, by providing key functions where they are generally hands-free, able to set-up easily, have an easy cleaning process, great ergonomics to facilitate expression of milk, while providing novelty and efficiency as an all-in-one pacifier & breast pump combo.