Breast pump and system or program for pumping breasts

Inventors

Pirzada, Shahzad Saad • Goh, Chien Ming • Lynch, Maria Elizabeth

Assignees

Genadyne Biotechnologies Inc

Abstract

There is a breastfeeding device having a microprocessor having a memory embedded therein that can be pre-programmed to have a plurality of different sucking cycles interspersed with periodic pauses. These different cycles and pauses allow for an accurate modeling of a woman breastfeeding a child. In addition, this system and process can also result in a pre-programmable breastfeeding pump, which creates a preset time for initialization and a preset schedule of a series of events for breastfeeding over a period of time such as over a 24 hour or 30 hour period of time so that the user can automatically use the breast pump without having to use any of the keys on the keyboard of the device. In at least one embodiment, the device including any software which can be programmed thereon, is configured to mimic or model itself towards a suction pattern of a child.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a breast pump system and a process for controlling and recording the actions of a breast pump using a microprocessor and memory with a programmable preset schedule. A pumping session is initiated based on a usage log determining it is time to start pumping, and the system is configured for automatic operation over extended periods without keyboard input by using a preset initialization time and an event schedule. The preset schedule includes timed start/shutdown behavior and phase programming across at least a month for tracking and reporting.

The invention further provides control of pumping phases with different suction cycling behaviors by setting a first phase for pumping with a first amplitude designating suction force, where the first phase does not include pauses in suction cycling. A second phase for pumping is set with a second amplitude designating suction force, where the second phase has intermittent pauses. The pumping control includes programmable pumping phase parameters and uses a pause to model swallowing behavior in the suction pattern modeling described.

The invention also records physiological measurement information during pumping, including an amount of milk flowing, and stores information relating to the amount of milk flowing in a server across at least a month to provide a monthly log and chart-based reporting. The described system also supports recording additional metrics including air flow and vacuum strength, and provides reporting and charts across at least a month to track usage. Networked operation with wireless communication is disclosed for remote programming and for transmitting recorded pumping-session information, including usage logs and start/shutdown times, to remote servers for charts and remote monitoring/intervention.

Claims Coverage

Independent claim clm-00001 is directed to a process for controlling and recording scheduled breast pump actions, including two pumping phases with different suction-cycling patterns, recording milk flow, and storing/reporting monthly usage. The disclosed claim family members refine this core by recording additional metrics (air flow, vacuum strength) and by specifying scheduling and parameter details (start/shutdown times, preset-time recall, and amplitude/frequency settings) and automation of session start.

The independent process is centered on usage-log-driven scheduling, controlling two pumping phases distinguished by suction cycling with intermittent pauses in the second phase, and recording milk flow with monthly server storage and chart reporting. Dependent claims add recording of air flow and vacuum strength, scheduling via start/shutdown times with preset-time recall, phase parameterization by amplitude and frequency, and automation of initiation when the scheduled session starts.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications