BREAST PUMP AND SET OF VACUUM CURVES

Abstract

The present invention relates to a breast pump including a breast shield adapted to at least in part receive a breast of a lactating user, an aggregate for generating a cyclic suction profile according to vacuum curves for expressing milk from the breast, a milk container providing a reservoir for the expressed milk, a controller for controlling the aggregate.

Claims

1. A breast pump including a breast shield adapted to at least in part receive a breast of a lactating user, an aggregate for generating a cyclic suction profile according to vacuum curves for expressing milk from the breast, a milk container providing a reservoir for the expressed milk, a controller for controlling the aggregate wherein the controller has a memory having stored a set of at least two vacuum curves, the vacuum curves being indicative of vacuum over time, each vacuum curve having a cycle phase and a relaxation phase, wherein vacuum curves with stronger maximum vacuum have shorter cycle phase duration.

2. The breast pump according to claim 1, wherein vacuum curves with stronger maximum vacuum have shorter vacuum curve duration.

3. The breast pump according to claim 1, wherein the controller orders the following sequence of phases a vacuum rise phase (VRP) for decreasing the pressure from a maximum pressure to a minimum pressure being the maximum vacuum strength, a vacuum peak phase (VPP) where the maximum vacuum strength is maintained a first vacuum release phase (VR.sub.1P), a vacuum hold phase (VHP) holding a hold suction pressure for a vacuum hold time, a second vacuum release phase (VR.sub.2P) releasing the hold suction pressure to the maximum pressure and a high pressure vacuum relaxation phase (HVP) defining the end of the cycle.

4. The breast pump according to claim 3, wherein at least 70% of any variation of the cycle phase duration is provided by the variation of the vacuum hold phase (VHP) and/or the vacuum peak phase (VPP) and/or the first vacuum release phase (VR1P).

5. The breast pump according to claim 3, wherein at least 70% of any variation of the vacuum curve duration is provided by the variation of the vacuum hold phase (VHP) and/or the vacuum peak phase (VPP) and/or the first vacuum release phase (VR1P) and/or the high pressure vacuum relaxation phase (HVP).

6. A set of vacuum curves for a breast pump, each vacuum curve being indicative of vacuum over time, each vacuum curve having a cycle phase and a relaxation phase, wherein vacuum curves with stronger maximum vacuum have shorter cycle phase length.

7. The set of vacuum curves according to claim 6, wherein vacuum curves with stronger maximum vacuum have shorter vacuum curve length.

8. The set of vacuum curves according to claim 6, wherein each vacuum curve has the following sequence of phases a vacuum rise phase (VRP) for decreasing the pressure from a maximum pressure to a minimum pressure being the maximum vacuum strength, a vacuum peak phase (VPP) where the maximum vacuum strength is maintained a first vacuum release phase (VR1P), a vacuum hold phase (VHP) holding a hold suction pressure for a vacuum hold time, a second vacuum release phase (VR2P) releasing the hold suction pressure to the maximum pressure and a high pressure vacuum relaxation phase (HVP) defining the end of the cycle.

9. The set of vacuum curves according to claim 8, wherein at least 70% of any variation of the cycle phase length is provided by the variation of the vacuum hold phase (VHP) and/or the vacuum peak phase (VPP) and/or the first vacuum release phase (VR1P).

10. The set of vacuum curves according to claim 8, wherein at least 70% of any variation of the vacuum curve length is provided by the variation of the vacuum hold phase (VHP) and/or the vacuum peak phase (VPP) and/or the first vacuum release phase (VR1P) and/or the high pressure vacuum relaxation phase (HVP).

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] These and other advantages of the invention will be further understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of certain embodiments, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

[0020] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a breast pump assembly for use in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a graphical representation of four measured suction profiles and

[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic graph of different phases of the actual suction profile as e.g. shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a breast pump assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. That breast pump is generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,756 or EP 2 878 317 B1, reference thereto can be made for salient details of this breast pump. While the invention has found particular application for use with this kind of programmable breast pump and with respect to premature newborn, it can be used or adapted for use with other motorized pumps capable of being operated with the varying sequences (hereinafter described), and aspects are considered adaptable to full-term newborn including breast pumps wearable inside a bra, as disclosed in WO 2022/268998.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the breast pump assembly 100 includes a breast pump 110, one or a plurality of the breast shield and container assemblies 120, which may provide a program card 130. Power may be provided to the breast pump apparatus 110 either through standard current via a power cord, a battery, or some other appropriate power supply.

[0025] The breast pump 110 may be either a double or a single pump. The single pump extracts milk from one breast at a time, and the double pump can be used to extract milk from both breasts at the same time. The breast pump 110 is attached to each of the plurality of the breast shield and container assemblies 120 with a tube 140. Each of the plurality of the breast shield and container assemblies 120 comprises a breast shield 122 and a container 124. The container 124 is used as a reservoir to store the pumped milk.

[0026] One significant aspect of the present invention is the ability to operate, as by program, the breast pump 110 with different types of cyclic suction profiles.

[0027] The breast pump 110 utilizes a controller 126 for controlling an aggregate, so that the aggregate generates the required cyclic suction profile. The controller has access (e.g. via a memory or because they are stored on the control itself) to vacuum curves that are indicative of vacuum over time to be generated by the aggregate and these vacuum curves are used by the controller to drive the aggregate.

[0028] The controller 126 or microprocessor-based system is provided with user input, for example through the program card 130.

[0029] To extract breastmilk from a mother, the breast shields 122 are placed and centered over a mother's nipples. The breast pump apparatus 110 may be turned on by a user pressing a first button 112, and in this embodiment, the program card 130 is used with the apparatus. The apparatus reads the program contained on the program card 130. The breast pump 110 may display instructions to the user via interface 150. The instructions may ask the user to start the program. If the mother wants to start the program, the mother may press a second button 114. The Interface 150 may then show instructions and/or graphics that let the mother know that the program is starting.

[0030] The mother can select via the interface e.g. the maximum vacuum strength she wants to use; each maximum vacuum strength is part of a vacuum curve that is accordingly selected. The controller thus drives the aggregate according to the selected vacuum curve.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows different vacuum curves of a set of curves available to be chosen in a breast pump. Each vacuum curve of the set of curves has cycle phase C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.3, C.sub.4 and a high pressure vacuum relaxation phase HVP.sub.1, HVP.sub.2, HVP.sub.3, HVP.sub.4 (HVP in FIG. 3) at constant vacuum (or pressure); the relaxation phase is for example at atmospheric pressure, but it may also be at negative pressure. At the end of each vacuum curve and in particular relaxation phase thereof, the next vacuum curve starts.

[0032] This start begins at the horizontal timeline at zero, orthogonal to set abscissa, and starting at zero is an ordinate for the actual (negative) pressure. Each vacuum curve, and in particular the cycle phase thereof C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.3, C.sub.4, is characterized by a certain duration, i.e. cycle time CT, and a maximum vacuum strength PD. C.sub.1 has the largest or strongest maximum vacuum strength PD.sub.1 and provides the lowest minimum pressure. C.sub.1 also has the shortest cycle phase duration, CT.sub.1. C.sub.4 has the longest cycle phase duration CT.sub.4 and the weakest maximum vacuum strength (thus highest minimum pressure) PD.sub.4.

[0033] Each cycle phase can be fractioned into different phases, which are set out in FIG. 3. The first phase is the vacuum rise phase VRP in which the vacuum increases and the pressure drops up to the strongest vacuum strength, i.e. maximum suction and thus minimal pressure. The strongest vacuum strength may be held for a certain, usually very short period of time. This phase is identified as the vacuum peak phase VPP. From maximum vacuum strength, the vacuum drops (and pressure increases) during the first vacuum release phase VR.sub.1P to reach a vacuum hold phase VHP, in which the vacuum (negative pressure) is essentially constant for a longer period of time. From the vacuum hold phase VHP the vacuum drops (i.e. pressure rises) in the second vacuum release phase VR.sub.2P until the relaxation pressure is again reached and held constant during the high pressure vacuum relaxation phase HVP.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows that, in the set of vacuum curves, the stronger the maximum vacuum strength, the shorter the cycle phase duration, e.g. the vacuum hold phase VHP and/or the vacuum peak phase VPP and/or the first vacuum release phase VR1P; likewise, the weaker the maximum vacuum strength P.sub.i max, the longer the cycle phase duration, e.g. the duration of the vacuum hold phase VHP and/or vacuum peak phase VPP and/or first vacuum release phase VR1P. Preferably, in the set of vacuum curves, the stronger the maximum vacuum strength, the shorter the vacuum curve duration, e.g. the vacuum hold phase VHP and/or the vacuum peak phase VPP and/or the first vacuum release phase VR1P and/or the high pressure vacuum relaxation phase HVP; likewise, the weaker the maximum vacuum strength, the longer the vacuum curve duration, e.g. the duration of the vacuum hold phase VHP and/or the vacuum peak phase VPP and/or the first vacuum release phase VR1P and/or the high pressure vacuum relaxation phase HVP.

[0035] In addition, since preferably at least 70% of any variation of the cycle phase duration or vacuum curve duration is provided by the variation of the vacuum hold phase VHP and/or the vacuum peak phase VPP and/or the first vacuum release phase VR1P and/or the high pressure vacuum relaxation phase HVP, such a variation can be achieved without affecting or with limited affecting of the gradient of the vacuum rise phase VRP and/or vacuum release phases VR2P, which can thus be set according to the needs, e.g. maximization of the area below the vacuum curve.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0036] 100 breast pump assembly [0037] 110 breast pump [0038] 112 first button [0039] 114 second button [0040] 120 container assembly [0041] 122 breast shield [0042] 124 container [0043] 126 controller [0044] 130 program card [0045] 140 tube [0046] 150 interface [0047] C.sub.i Cycle; i=1, 2, 3, 4 [0048] CT.sub.i Cycle time or duration; i=1, 2, 3, 4 [0049] PD.sub.i maximum vacuum strength; i=1, 2, 3, 4 [0050] VRP vacuum rise phase [0051] VPP vacuum peak phase [0052] VR.sub.1P first vacuum release phase [0053] VHP vacuum hold phase [0054] VR.sub.2P second vacuum release phase [0055] HVP high pressure vacuum relaxation phase