US2011034869A1PendingUtilityA1

Suction Sequences for a Breastpump

48
Assignee: MEDELA AGPriority: Dec 10, 1999Filed: Oct 19, 2010Published: Feb 10, 2011
Est. expiryDec 10, 2019(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
A61M 1/06A61M 1/0697A61M 1/06935A61M 2205/3584A61M 2205/52A61M 1/75A61M 2205/8206A61M 2205/50A61M 2205/3569
48
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

A breastpump is provided with one or more novel suction sequences which are considered to produce advantageous particularized results. Such sequences include a suction method for increased milk production and an improved suction method in general.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for operating a breastpump comprising:
 generating a cyclical pressure change according to the mathematical expression:   
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   y 
                    
                   
                     ( 
                     x 
                     ) 
                   
                 
                 = 
                 
                   V 
                    
                   
                     [ 
                     
                       
                         
                           
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   10 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               10 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   9 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               9 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   8 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               8 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   7 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               7 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   6 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               6 
                             
                             + 
                           
                         
                       
                       
                         
                           
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   5 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               5 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   4 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               4 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   3 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               3 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   2 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               2 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 A 
                                 1 
                               
                                
                               
                                 ( 
                                 Tx 
                                 ) 
                               
                             
                             + 
                             
                               A 
                               0 
                             
                           
                         
                       
                     
                     ] 
                   
                 
               
               ; 
             
           
         
         using the values in the following table: 
       
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                 
                     
                   A 10   
                   A 9   
                   A 8   
                   A 7   
                   A 6   
                 
                     
                 
                   Maximum curve 
                   0 
                   0 
                   −516560  
                   1787300 
                   −2473330 
                 
                   Minimum curve 
                   0 
                   0 
                   −516560  
                   1787300 
                   −2473330 
                 
                     
                 
                     
                   A 5   
                   A 4   
                   A 3   
                   A 2   
                   A 1   
                 
                     
                 
                   Maximum curve 
                   1752850 
                   −680860  
                   147200 
                   −17360 
                   370 
                 
                   Minimum curve 
                   1752850 
                   −680860  
                   147200  
                   −17360 
                   370 
                 
                     
                 
                     
                   A 0   
                     
                     
                     
                     
                 
                     
                 
                   Maximum curve 
                   0 
                     
                     
                     
                     
                 
                   Minimum curve 
                   0 
                 
                     
                 
             
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
         wherein the range of T is from about 0.98 to about 1.5 and the range of V is from about 1.25 to about 0.15, x is time in seconds and y(x) is vacuum in mmHg. 
       
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of said cyclical pressure changes includes a pause between each cycle at atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said pause is from about 0.2 to about 2 seconds in duration. 
     
     
         4 . The method  claim 2  wherein said pause is about 0.25 seconds in duration. 
     
     
         5 . A method for operating a breastpump to stimulate a milk ejection reflex comprising:
 generating a cyclical pressure change according to the mathematical expression:   
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   y 
                    
                   
                     ( 
                     x 
                     ) 
                   
                 
                 = 
                 
                   V 
                    
                   
                     [ 
                     
                       
                         
                           
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   10 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               10 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   9 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               9 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   8 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               8 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   7 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               7 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   6 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               6 
                             
                             + 
                           
                         
                       
                       
                         
                           
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   5 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               5 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   4 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               4 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   3 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               3 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 
                                   A 
                                   2 
                                 
                                  
                                 
                                   ( 
                                   Tx 
                                   ) 
                                 
                               
                               2 
                             
                             + 
                             
                               
                                 A 
                                 1 
                               
                                
                               
                                 ( 
                                 Tx 
                                 ) 
                               
                             
                             + 
                             
                               A 
                               0 
                             
                           
                         
                       
                     
                     ] 
                   
                 
               
               ; 
             
           
         
         using the values in the following table: 
       
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                 
                     
                   A 10   
                   A 9   
                   A 8   
                   A 7   
                   A 6   
                 
                     
                 
                   Maximum  
                   0 
                   0 
                   15000000 
                   −34920000 
                   32800000 
                 
                   curve 
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                 
                   Minimum  
                   0 
                   0 
                   15000000 
                   −34920000 
                   32800000 
                 
                   curve 
                 
                     
                 
                     
                   A 5   
                   A 4   
                   A 3   
                   A 2   
                   A 1   
                 
                     
                 
                   Maximum  
                   −16040000 
                   4340000 
                   −616300 
                   37000 
                   −1000 
                 
                   curve 
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                 
                   Minimum  
                   −16040000 
                   4340000 
                   −616300 
                   37000 
                   −1000 
                 
                   curve 
                 
                     
                 
                     
                   A 0   
                     
                     
                     
                     
                 
                     
                 
                   Maximum  
                   8 
                     
                     
                     
                     
                 
                   curve 
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     
                 
                   Minimum  
                   8 
                     
                     
                     
                     
                 
                   curve 
                 
                     
                 
             
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
         wherein the range of T is from about 0.95 to about 1.0 and the range of V is from about 1.3 to about 0.25, x is time in seconds and y(x) is vacuum in mmHg. 
       
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said cyclical pressure changes includes a pause between each cycle at atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said pause is from 0.0 to about 0.5 seconds in duration. 
     
     
         8 . A method for operating a breastpump comprising:
 generating a cyclical negative pressure change, said negative pressure change having a duration;   generating a peak negative pressure at a time about 50 percent along said duration; and   generating a rest segment in said negative pressure change after said time of said peak negative pressure but before completion of a cycle.

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