Programmable electric breast pump

• US 20080177224A1
• Filed: 01/22/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Limerick Inc.
• Original Assignee: Limerick Inc.
• Inventors: Ortiz, Joan P., Kelly, Patricia A., Beckwith, Leslie
• Granted Patent: US 8,137,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/74
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/06 Milking pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/06935 imitating the suckling of an infant
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/742 by changing the size of a vent A61M1/7411 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/75 Intermittent or pulsating suction A61M1/63, A61M1/772 take precedence

Abstract

A programmable electric breast pump system includes a vacuum pump pneumatically coupled to breast cups and a vacuum relief valve bypassing the vacuum pump. A controller receives command input from a vacuum level selector and a vacuum rate selector, and feedback from a pressure sensor measuring vacuum in the breast cups. In response, the controller cycles the relief valve between minimum and maximum vacuum setpoints to create a periodic vacuum pulse in the breast cups. By adjusting the vacuum min/max levels and vacuum rate, a user may change the strength of the pulse after let-down, or synchronize the frequency of the pulse with the natural refractory time of a lactating breast. Related methods for operating a breast pump mimic the suckling cycle of a nursing infant and may include steps for bypassing a vacuum pump with a vacuum relief valve, selecting a vacuum rate and a vacuum level, driving a vacuum pump at the selected vacuum rate, cycling the relief valve according to the vacuum level, and adjusting the vacuum level until the vacuum pulses in phase with a natural refractory time.

Claims

1. A breast pump system for extracting milk by use of a breast cup, comprising:

a vacuum pump connected to the breast cup;

a vacuum relief valve bypassing the vacuum pump;

a selector for selecting a vacuum rate;

a selector for selecting a vacuum level; and

a controller receiving the selected vacuum rate and the selected vacuum level, driving the vacuum pump in response to the selected vacuum rate, and cycling the vacuum relief valve according to the selected vacuum level.

2. The breast pump system of claim 1 wherein the controller sets a minimum vacuum pressure and a maximum vacuum pressure based on the selected vacuum level.

3. The breast pump system of claim 2 further comprising a sensor sensing vacuum pressure in the breast cup.

4. The breast pump system of claim 3 wherein the controller receives the sensed vacuum pressure, compares the sensed vacuum pressure to the maximum vacuum pressure, and opens the vacuum relief valve if the sensed vacuum pressure exceeds the maximum vacuum pressure.

5. The breast pump system of claim 4 wherein the controller compares the sensed vacuum pressure to the minimum vacuum pressure, and closes the vacuum relief valve if the sensed vacuum pressure is less than the minimum vacuum pressure.

6. The breast pump system of claim 1 further comprising a timer;

wherein the controller counts time elapsed on the timer between closing the vacuum relief valve and opening the vacuum relief valve; and

wherein the controller stops the vacuum pump if the time elapsed is less than a predetermined minimum closure time.

7. The breast pump system of claim 1 wherein the selector for selecting a vacuum level comprises a manual selector.

8. The breast pump system of claim 7 wherein the manual selector is a potentiometer.

9. The breast pump system of claim 1 wherein the selector for selecting a vacuum rate comprises a manual selector.

10. The breast pump system of claim 9 wherein the manual selector is a potentiometer.

11. A breast pump control system for synchronizing a suction cycle of a vacuum pump having a vacuum relief valve with a natural refractory time of a lactating breast, comprising:

a vacuum rate selector outputting a selected vacuum rate signal;

a vacuum level selector outputting a selected vacuum level signal; and

a microcontroller cycling the vacuum relief valve in response to the selected vacuum rate signal and the selected vacuum level signal.

12. The breast pump control system of claim 11 whe rein the microcontroller sets a minimum vacuum pressure and a maximum vacuum pressure based on the selected vacuum level signal.

13. The breast pump control system of claim 12 wherein the microcontroller sets the minimum and maximum vacuum pressures according to data stored in a lookup table.

14. The breast pump control system of claim 12 wherein the microcontroller sets the minimum and maximum vacuum pressures by executing an algorithm.

15. The breast pump control system of claim 12 further comprising:

a vacuum sensor sensing a vacuum pressure;

wherein the microcontroller receives the sensed vacuum pressure, compares the sensed vacuum pressure to the maximum vacuum pressure, and decreases the vacuum pressure if the sensed vacuum pressure exceeds the maximum vacuum pressure; and

wherein the microcontroller compares the sensed vacuum pressure to the minimum vacuum pressure, and increases the vacuum pressure if the sensed vacuum pressure is less than the minimum vacuum pressure.

16. The breast pump control system of claim 15 wherein the microcontroller decreases the vacuum pressure by causing the vacuum relief valve to open.

17. The breast pump control system of claim 16 wherein the microcontroller increases the vacuum pressure by causing the vacuum relief valve to close.

18. The breast pump control system of claim 17 further comprising a timer;

wherein the microcontroller counts time elapsed on the timer between closing the vacuum relief valve and opening the vacuum relief valve; and

wherein the microcontroller stops the breast pump if the time elapsed is less than a predetermined minimum closure time.

19. The breast pump control system of claim 11 wherein the microcontroller drives the vacuum pump in response to the selected vacuum rate signal.

20. The breast pump control system of claim 19 wherein the microcontroller drives the vacuum pump according to data stored in a lookup table.

21. The breast pump control system of claim 19 wherein the microcontroller drives the vacuum pump by executing an algorithm.

22. The breast pump control system of claim 19 further comprising a timer;

wherein the microcontroller counts time elapsed on the timer while driving the vacuum pump; and

wherein the microcontroller stops the vacuum pump if the time elapsed exceeds a predetermined maximum running time.

23. The breast pump control system of claim 19 further comprising:

a vacuum sensor sensing a vacuum pressure;

wherein the microcontroller stops driving the vacuum pump if the sensed vacuum pressure exceeds a predetermined maximum vacuum pressure.

24. A method for cycling vacuum pressure in a breast cup pneumatically coupled to a vacuum pump, the method comprising:

bypassing the vacuum pump with a vacuum relief valve;

selecting a vacuum rate;

selecting a vacuum level;

driving the vacuum pump in response to the selected vacuum rate; and

cycling the vacuum relief valve according to the selected vacuum level.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the second selecting step further comprises setting a minimum vacuum pressure and a maximum vacuum pressure.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

sensing vacuum pressure in the breast cup;

comparing the sensed vacuum pressure to the maximum vacuum pressure; and

opening the vacuum relief valve if the sensed vacuum pressure exceeds the maximum vacuum pressure.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

comparing the sensed vacuum pressure to the minimum vacuum pressure; and

closing the vacuum relief valve if the sensed vacuum pressure is less than the minimum vacuum pressure.

28. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

counting time elapsed during closure of the vacuum relief valve; and

stopping the vacuum pump if the time elapsed is less than a predetermined minimum closure time.

29. In an automatic breast pump system, a method for synchronizing a vacuum pump with a natural refractory time of a breast, comprising:

receiving a selected vacuum rate signal;

receiving a selected vacuum level signal;

driving the vacuum pump responsive to the selected vacuum rate signal;

cycling vacuum pressure according to the selected vacuum level signal; and

adjusting the selected vacuum level signal until the vacuum pressure cycles in phase with the natural refractory time.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

counting time elapsed during a single cycle when the drive signal is removed; and

stopping the vacuum pump if the time elapsed is less than a predetermined minimum closure time.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

counting time elapsed since initially transmitting the drive signal; and

stopping the vacuum pump if the time elapsed exceeds a predetermined maximum running time.

32. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

sensing a temperature in the breast pump system; and

stopping the vacuum pump if the sensed temperature exceeds a predetermined maximum temperature.

33. The method of claim 29 further comprising sensing a vacuum pressure, and cycling the vacuum pump bypass signal according to the sensed vacuum pressure.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

determining a vacuum pressure range based on the selected vacuum level signal;

comparing the sensed vacuum pressure to the vacuum pressure range; and

cycling the vacuum pump bypass signal to maintain vacuum pressure within the vacuum pressure range.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

comparing the sensed vacuum pressure to a predetermined maximum vacuum pressure; and

stopping the vacuum pump if the sensed vacuum pressure exceeds the predetermined maximum vacuum pressure.