Breast pump or other medical devices with dynamically adaptive pump configuration providing error detection and distinctive suction profile
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10915198-B2
Publication Date
2021-02-09
Expiration Date
Abstract
A pump unit (10) includes a number of pumps (14) each having a port in fluid connection to a combined port (12) of the pump unit. A processing system (16) is connected to each of the pumps (14) for independent actuation of each pump. A user interface (22) allows user actuation of the pump unit according to one or more mode of operation, requiring various different levels of suction or pressure. The processing system (16) determines what number of pumps (14) is required, and selectively actuates pumps in order to generate the required suction or pressure. Particularly preferred applications include breast pumps. Additional aspects of the invention relate to a cyclic pulsed suction profile generated by the device, implementations that detect when a milk extraction set is not properly deployed, and configurations which allow a touch screen to be used as a power-on switch for the device.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a pump unit for a medical device that uses a plurality of electrically-powered air pumps in which the ports of all pumps are in fluid connection to a combined port. A processing system comprising at least one processor independently actuates each pump, and a user interface enables user actuation according to any of a plurality of required levels of suction or required levels of pressure, while the combined port functions as a suction or gas pressure port.
The processing system determines a number of pumps required to generate the required level of suction or pressure and selectively actuates that number to generate the required level. In cyclic operation, the system supports dynamically adaptive pump selection by switching the number of pumps used for different portions of a cycle to generate a cyclic time-varying suction/pressure profile, including a suction hold portion that is a substantial fraction of the cycle.
The pump unit also includes error detection directed to unsealed or disconnected kit conditions based on sensor-derived signals such as motor current/voltage load or pressure sensor failure. Responsive actions include issuing visual and/or audio warning signals and/or automatically discontinuing pump operation after error persistence intervals. Additionally, the device includes a resistive touch screen used as a power-on switch, operating with an off configuration in which a display controller is powered-down and the processing system is in a sleep mode, and mechanical pressure wakes the processing system and powers up the display controller, optionally with delay circuitry requiring sustained pressure before turning on.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes three independent claims (independent_claim_id: clm-00001, clm-00021, clm-00022), each centered on a pump unit that combines ports of multiple electrically-powered air pumps into a single suction or gas pressure port of a medical device and uses a processing system to independently actuate a computed subset of pumps based on user-selected suction/pressure levels. Across the independent claims, the inventive features differ by additions of cyclic operation, defect handling via self-test and bypassing, and alternating between non-identical pump subsets.
Combined-port multi-pump medical-device suction/pressure
The ports of a plurality of electrically-powered air pumps are in fluid connection to a combined port of the pump unit that is a suction or gas pressure port of a medical device.
Independent actuation with computed pump subset size
A processing system connected to each pump independently actuates each pump, and the processing system determines a number of pumps required to generate a required level of suction or pressure and selectively actuates that number to generate the required level.
User interface selectable suction/pressure levels
A user interface associated with the processing system allows user actuation of the pump unit according to any of a plurality of required levels of suction or according to any of a plurality of required levels of pressure.
Self-test to identify defective pump and selectively actuate without defective pump
The processing system performs a self-test to identify any defective pump among the plurality of pumps and selectively actuates the required number of pumps without use of the defective pump.
Alternating between non-identical subsets when using fewer than all pumps
When the number of pumps for a selected one of the required levels of pressure is less than all of the pumps, the processing system alternates between at least two non-identical subsets of pumps, with the at least two subsets generating the same level of suction or pressure at the combined port.
Overall, the independent claim set covers a combined-port pump unit using multiple pumps under processing-system control, computing and selectively actuating a subset of pumps to reach user-required suction or pressure, and additional robustness strategies including defective-pump self-testing and bypassing, plus alternating between non-identical pump subsets when fewer than all pumps are used.
Stated Advantages
Adaptive power use for generating required suction/pressure levels by selectively actuating subsets of pumps.
Noise reduction.
Redundancy.
Pump-life extension via pump rotation/modular replacement.
Documented Applications
Breast pump set connected to a suction port, including operation with a milk extraction kit and associated tubing and breast-shield/bottle interface as described in the document context.
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