Breast pump
A biomechanical breast pump mechanism ( 1 ) for expressing breastmilk comprising a biomimetic funnel ( 2 ), at least two active actuation areas ( 23,24 ) on the funnel ( 2 ) and stationary areas ( 25 ), the active actuation areas ( 23,24 ) being actuatable by a driving mechanism or mechanisms ( 3 ) and being configured to replicate the complex functions of the infant's tongue during suckling namely the physical stimulation of the areola ( 17 )/nipple ( 16 ); nipple positioning; creating and maintaining low-level baseline vacuum to create air-seal on the breast; generating sub-atmospheric pressure inside the funnel ( 2 ); creating and maintaining close-to-zero-air environment in the funnel ( 2 ); and control of the vacuum oscillation within predefined ranges coordinated negative and positive actuation ( 41,42 ) of one or both actuation areas ( 23,24 ) independently or simultaneously.
1 . A biomechanical breast pump ( 1 ) for expressing breastmilk comprising:
a biomimetic funnel ( 2 ) formed from a deformable body ( 4 ) having a lip end ( 6 ), a milk discharge end ( 7 ) and a wall extending ( 8 ) between the lip end ( 6 ) and the discharge end ( 7 );
at least two active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ) on the deformable body ( 4 ) configured to mimic an infant's complex suckling function;
a stationary actuation area ( 25 ) on the deformable body ( 4 ) configured to stop a hard palate ( 10 ) defined in the deformable body ( 4 ) from deforming in response to movement of the active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ), and
an actuator or actuators ( 3 ) for actuating the active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ) wherein the active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ) are separately, independently and simultaneously actuatable by the actuator or actuators ( 3 ) to exert a positive push actuation force on the deformable body ( 4 ) and a negative pull actuation force on the deformable body ( 4 ) to generate a vacuum with the funnel ( 2 ).
2 . A biomechanical breast pump ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 wherein the active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ) are provided on a lower soft floor ( 21 ) of the deformable body ( 4 ) and the stationary actuation area ( 25 ) is provided at an oppositely disposed relatively hard upper palate ( 10 ) of the deformable body ( 4 ).
3 . A biomechanical breast pump ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 wherein the deformable body ( 4 ) defines lips ( 14 ) and a nipple chamber ( 22 ) fluidly communicable with the lips ( 14 ) to mimic the geometry of an infant's oral cavity.
4 . A biomechanical breast pump ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 3 wherein the active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ) comprise an anterior actuation area ( 23 ) disposed towards the lip end ( 6 ) and a posterior actuation area ( 24 ) disposed towards the milk discharge end ( 7 ).
5 . A biomechanical breast pump ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 4 wherein the anterior actuation area ( 23 ) is configured to stimulate the areola ( 17 ) and/or the nipple ( 16 ) of a user and to keep the nipple ( 16 ) in position.
6 . A biomechanical breast pump ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 wherein a positive actuation force and a negative actuation force on the active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ) are actuatable by the actuator or actuators ( 3 ) in response to instructions from a controller in accordance with key variables selected from the group consisting of origin point ( 38 ) of the active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ); travel distance ( 39 ) of the active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ) along the trajectory of actuation; travel direction ( 40 ) positive or negative; travel direction of the active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ); angle of travel of the active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ); actuation sequence of the active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ) independently and in relation to each other; frequency, velocity, acceleration, deceleration and timing of one suckling cycle within a suckling programme, and frequency, velocity, acceleration, deceleration and timing of a single actuation within one suckling cycle.
7 . A biomechanical breast pump ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 4 wherein the breast pump ( 1 ) comprises an anterior actuation body ( 27 ) and a posterior body ( 28 ) positionally corresponding with the anterior and posterior active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ) for connecting drivetrains ( 29 , 30 ) to the anterior and posterior active actuation areas ( 23 , 24 ) and the anterior and posterior actuation bodies ( 27 , 28 ) optionally comprise inserts or overmoulds ( 81 ).
8 . A biomechanical breast pump ( 1 ) as claimed claim 1 wherein the funnel wall ( 8 ) comprises an anatomical and/or a suckling replicator ( 36 ) and/or a fluid discharge enhancer ( 65 ).
9 . A biomechanical breast pump ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 3 wherein the funnel ( 2 ) comprises a nipple chamber reinforcer ( 71 ) and/or a nipple mouth reinforcer ( 73 ) and/or a lip reinforcer ( 74 ) and/or a discharge end reinforcer ( 102 ) and/or a structural reinforcer ( 37 ), the structural reinforcer comprising a side reinforcer ( 69 ) on the funnel wall ( 8 ), the side reinforcer ( 69 ) optionally comprising an elongate slit ( 70 ), the side reinforcer ( 69 ) being movable between a flexed open and a flexed closed position about the slit ( 70 ).
10 . A biomechanical breast pump ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 8 wherein the fluid discharge enhancer ( 65 ) comprises a milk driving replicator ( 67 ) on the internal funnel wall ( 8 ).
11 . A biomechanical breast pump ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 8 wherein the anatomical and/or suckling replicator ( 36 ) is formed by protrusions in the funnel wall ( 8 ).
12 . A biomechanical breast pump ( 1 ) as claimed in claim 1 wherein the actuator ( 3 ) comprises a two-way actuator and/or a manually operated actuator ( 3 ).